ASEAN’s anniversary which falls on August 8 coincides with the ASEAN declaration. Right on August 8, 1967, five state leaders, namely the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – sat together in the main hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand.
ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to the official website of the German Embassy Jakarta or Jakarta Diplo, ASEAN consists of 10 member countries as follows: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
Based on the ASEAN declaration which contains five articles, declared the establishment of an Association for Regional Cooperation among Southeast Asian Countries known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the intent and purpose of cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational fields and other fields, and in promoting regional peace and stability through respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to United Nations principles.
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As an inter-country organization in Southeast Asia, the leadership of ASEAN is rotated every year between each member country. In its journey as a world organization, ASEAN has succeeded in establishing a free trade area called the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) through gradual reduction of tariffs. The AFTA agreement has entered into force since January 1.
Source: news.detik.com
