This timeline highlights key milestones in the history of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It begins with the establishment of a fund for ASEAN in 1969 and the declaration of the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality in 1971. Over the years, ASEAN expanded its membership and signed important agreements on food security, trade, and environmental conservation. The formation of the ASEAN Secretariat in 1976 marked a significant step in the organization's development. The timeline also notes the response of ASEAN member states to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, their adoption of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus regarding Myanmar in 2021, and various initiatives in 2022 and 2023, including upgraded trade agreements, energy outlook reports, and declarations on migrant worker and fisher protection. As ASEAN commemorates its 50th anniversary of relations with Japan in December 2023, it reflects on a rich history of regional cooperation and diplomacy.
AUGUST 8 1967 - The signing of Declaration in Bangkok, Thailand by five foreign ministers.
DECEMBER 7, 1969 -Agreement for the Establishment of a Fund for the ASEAN in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
NOVEMBER 27, 1971 - Declaration on the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) in Kuala Lumpur
1974- Australia became ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner
FEBUARY 24, 1976 - The First ASEAN Summit held in Bali. develop fruitful relations and
mutually beneficial co-operation with other countries of the region.
- Establishment of the ASEAN Secretariat. nomination of Mr. Hartono Rekso Dharsono as the first Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat.
AUGUST 5, 1977- Second ASEAN Summit. The Heads of Government reviewed the development and progress of ASEAN in its first ten years.
OCTOBER 4, 1979- Agreement on ASEAN Food Security Reserve was signed in New York.
MAY 6, 1981- The ASEAN Secretariat premises move from Pejambon to Kebayoran Baru
by President of Indonesia, H.E. Soeharto.
JANUARY 7, 1984- Brunei Darussalam Join ASEAN, the sixth member of ASEAN at Jakarta.
JULY 9, 1985- The signing of ASEAN Agreement on The Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
JUNE 24, 1986- The Signing of Agreement on ASEAN Energy Cooperation
JANUARY 28, 1992- The Signing of ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Agreement.
JULY 22, 1992- Declaration on the South China Sea.
- Protocol Amending the Agreement on The Establishment of The ASEAN Secretariat
JANUARY 1, 1993- The launching of the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Scheme for AFTA.
JULY 23, 1994- ASEAN Flag Adoption. as a symbol of ASEAN cooperation and solidarity in promoting the common aspirations of Member Countries for peace and prosperity in the region.
JULY 28, 1995- Viet Nam Join ASEAN as the seventh member in Bandar Seri Begawan.
DECEMBER 15, 1995- The Signing of The Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.
JULY 23, 1997- Lao PDR and Myanmar join ASEAN as the eighth and ninth member in Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
APRIL 30, 1999- Admission of the Kingdom of Cambodia into ASEAN in Ha Noi, Vietnam.
OCTOBER 7, 2003- Bali Concord II. The framework to achieve a dynamic, cohesive, resilient and Integrated
ASEAN Community.
NOVEMBER 31, 2015- The establishment of ASEAN Community. The ASEAN Community is a community of three pillars: the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
NOVEMBER 15, 2020- Signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE (2020-2021): ASEAN member states collaborated in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing information, resources, and best practices to mitigate the impact of the virus in the region.
APRIL 24, 2021- The ASEAN Five-Point Consensus was adopted, during a meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, between the leaders of nine ASEAN member states and Myanmar junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
MARCH 2022 - To ensure a forward-looking, modern, and responsive goods agreement to regional and global developments, ASEAN launched the negotiations for the upgrade of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA)
SEPTEMBER 2022 - The 7th ASEAN Energy Outlook and 2nd ASEAN Renewable Energy Outlook were released during the 40th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting
OCTOBER 3, 2O22 - The 13th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium on Enhancing Connectivity Toward an Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient ASEAN Community Post-2025 Vision was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
NOVEMBER 11, 2022- The 11th country to join ASEAN is East Timor, also known as Timor Leste. The country was admitted "in principle" as the organization's 11th member.
DECEMBER 2023, - ASEAN commemorates the 50th anniversary of its relations with Japan, with a commemorative summit to be held in Tokyo.