Indonesia a brother Muslim country gaining much importance, attraction and
popularity among International Community due to its visionary leadership’ s
pragmatic and farsighted policies. It held the G20 Presidency in 2022
successfully and in 2023 its Chairmanship of ASEAN countries is another feather
on its success cap.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8
August,1967 in Bangkok. Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration
(Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7
January,1984, followed by Vietnam on 28 July, 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23rd
July, 1997 and Cambodia on 30th April, 1999, making up what is today the sten-member
states of ASEAN.
ASEAN Countries at a Glance
Country Area sq km Population Million GDP PPPUS$ Bn GDP per Capita PPP GDP
Nominal US$ Bn GDP per Capita Nominal Exports US$ bn Imports US$ Bn
Indonesia 1.904 mn 277.75 4,398 15,855 1,392 5,018 291 237
Malaysia 330,803 33.2 1,055 31,243 415.37 12,295 263 197
Philippines 300,000 109.03 1,289 11,420 440.42 3,905 115.
26 159.29
Singapore 734.3 5.64 757.73 133,896 515.55 91,100 942 870
Thailand 513,120 1,591 22,657
Brunei Darussalam 5,765 0.46 31.90
74,952 18.41 42,939 5.88 2.99
Vietnam 331,212 100.0 1,450 14,458 449.04 4,475 371.3 358.9
Lao PDR 236,800 7.75 74.31 9,800 14.09 1,858 3.65 4.97
Myanmar 261,227 57.53 278.15 5,132 63.98 1,180 20.4 21.02
Cambodia 1.14 mn 49.33 1,014 19,460 334.68 6,417 39.48 44.24
ASEAN has a charter which servers as a firm foundation in achieving the ASEAN
community by providing legal status an institutional frame work for ASEAN norms,
rules and values; sets clear targets for ASEAN and presents accountability and
compliance. The ASEAN charter centered into force on 15 December ,2008 at the
presence of ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. With
the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN will henceforth operate under a
new legal framework and establish a number of new organs to boost its community
building process. In effect, the ASEAN Charter is the legally binding agreement
among the ten ASEAN member states. It will also be registered with the
secretariat of the United Nations, pursuant to Article 102, paragraph 1 of the
Charter of The United Nations. The importance of the ASEAN charter can be seen
in the following contexts.
• New Political commitment at the top level
• New and enhancement commitments
• New Legal framework, new legal personality
• New ASEAN bodies
• Two New Openly recruited DSGs
• More ASEAN meetings
• More role of ASEAN Foreign Secretary
• New and enhanced role of the Secretary General of ASEAN
• Other new initiatives and change
ASEAN Cumulative Statistics
Total Area Sq Km : 4.52 million
Total Population : 667.39 million
GDP (PPP) Total billion US$ : 11,203
GDP (PPP) per Capita : US$ 16,516
GDP (Nominal) US$ billion :3,942
GDP (Nominal) per Capita : 5,812
It is a matter of great pleasure for the friends and well-wishers of Indonesia
including Pakistan that in the year 2023 Indonesia is the chairman of ASEAN.
Indonesia’s chairmanship is carried out at a time when the world is becoming
increasingly complex. From a geopolitical and economic standpoint, the world is
experiencing multi-dimensional challenges. Great powers rivalries remain sharp.
As such, these great power rivalries need to be managed so that open conflicts
and new wars do not arise. The same also applies for Indo-Pacific Region, where
Southeast Asia lies the centre of these dynamics.
Indonesia’s chairmanship in ASEAN focuses on making ASEAN a stable and peaceful
region, at the anchor of world stability. For anyone. ASEAN must maintain its
internal peace in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. ASEAN must also
become a dignified region that upholds human values and democracy. All of this
can only happen of ASEAN continues to strengthens its centrality.
Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship is focusing how to strengthen ASEAN to become a
fast-growing, inclusive, and sustainable economic region. To that end, ASEAN
must build a solid regional health architecture, maintain food and energy
security, and maintain financial stability. Indonesia also aims to boost trade
among ASEAN countries.
Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN focuses on making ASEAN a stable and peaceful
region; as the anchor of world stability. For that purpose, ASEAN must
consistently uphold international law and not become a proxy for anyone. ASEAN
must maintain its internal peace in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
ASEAN must also become a dignified region that upholds human values and
democracy. All of this can only happen if ASEAN continues to strengthen its
centrality.
Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship will focus on how to strengthen ASEAN to become a
fast-growing, inclusive, and sustainable economic region. To that end, ASEAN
must build a solid regional health architecture, maintain food and energy
security, and maintain financial stability.
Indonesia also aims to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity and institutional
effectiveness to be able to respond to the challenges of the next 20 years.
Indonesia aims to gear
towards ASEAN 2045, which must be more adaptive, responsive, and competitive.
All of this must be fought for in the ASEAN way, consistent with the spirit of
cooperation and fully implementing the ASEAN Charter.
Indonesia aims for ASEAN to remain essential and relevant to make ASEAN Matter.
An ASEAN that matters and is deeply relevant for its people, the Indo-Pacific
region, and the world.