ASFN 2nd 08 Asean Charter
2nd ASFN Meeting
27 – 29 August 2008, Bangkok-Thailand
ASEAN Secretariat Information Paper
Agenda 6.1: ASEAN Charter
Introduction
The challenges facing ASEAN today are many, viz.: a more complex and dynamic
international environment, stiffer economic competition, greater regional interdependence,
and the need to narrow the development gap among its Member Countries. Towards this
end, ASEAN Leaders, during the 13 th Summit on 20 November 2007 in Singapore, signed
the ASEAN Charter.
2.
ASEAN Charter will enable ASEAN to better position itself to overcome these challenges.
The Charter presents an opportunity for ASEAN to take stock of its achievements and
shortcomings, reaffirm its relevance, and forge a new path for its integration. Besides conferring a
legal personality on ASEAN, the Charter will also seek to infuse ASEAN with a renewed sense of
purpose, to reaffirm and codify key objectives and key principles, to strengthen its institutions and
organizational structure, and strive to narrow the development gap, so that ASEAN can retain its
role as a driving force in regional dialogue and cooperation.
Towards a New ASEAN
3.
In realizing ASEAN’s Vision of the ASEAN Community by 2015, ASEAN cooperation
will expand to many areas that will require changes in the way ASEAN works including
strong political will of ASEAN Leaders, and active support and involvement of the ASEAN
people.
4.
In addition to the founding objectives, the Charter enhances regional resilience by
promoting greater political, security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation towards
peace, security, poverty alleviation, narrowing development gap, a single market and
production base that is stable, prosperous and highly competitive within ASEAN. The
Charter also aims at promoting sustainable development, strengthening democracy,
enhancing good governance and the rule of law.
5.
The Charter promotes an ASEAN identity and enhances a people-oriented ASEAN
by enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of the ASEAN peoples through human
resources development and empowerment, protecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
6.
ASEAN common principles are reaffirmed as they have formed the foundation upon
which Member Countries have developed mutual trust and introduced a mechanism for
settlement of difference. The Charter contemplates how to improve decision-making in
ASEAN. This has, hitherto, been based on consultation and consensus.
7.
Building the ASEAN Community will require considerable resources. The operational
budget for ASEAN shall be met by Member Countries through equal annual contributions.
However, efforts should also be made to attract more resources from the business sector,
international organizations, and ASEAN’s partners.
8.
In order to deal with the increasing number of trans-national and trans-sectoral issues, the
Charter makes provisions for strengthening the overall ASEAN’s organizational structure, both in
Member Countries and for the ASEAN Secretariat. This is to achieve more effective coordination
among its various bodies in order to provide unity in purpose, focus and effective implementation of
ASEAN Leaders’ decisions and ASEAN agreements.
9.
By conferred legal personality, the Charter clearly signals ASEAN’s commitment to move
from an Association towards a structure inter-governmental organization in the context of legally
binding rules and agreements. All ASEAN Member Countries are urged to put in place measures,
including legislation, to give effect to such a legal personality. In stepping up ASEAN’s integration
efforts, a culture of honouring and implementing its decision and agreements, including appropriate
monitoring and compliance mechanisms, are to be established.
10.
The Charter nurtures external relations based on linkages with countries beyond the region
through its dialogues and forums, such as the Dialogue Partnerships, the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF), ASEAN Plus Three, and the EAST Asian Summit (EAS), of which these arrangements bring
unique strengths to the relationships and offer future cooperation opportunities. ASEAN can build
on such links to ensure that it remains outward-looking and successfully pursues friendly relations
and mutually beneficial cooperation with partners and friends. This will help forge a regional
architecture that is open and inclusive as well as strengthen regional cooperation to deal with the
increasing challenges. The full text of the ASEAN Charter can be obtained at
http://www.asean.org/ASEAN-Charter.pdf.
Action required:
The Meeting may wish to take note on the ASEAN Charter.
27 – 29 August 2008, Bangkok-Thailand
ASEAN Secretariat Information Paper
Agenda 6.1: ASEAN Charter
Introduction
The challenges facing ASEAN today are many, viz.: a more complex and dynamic
international environment, stiffer economic competition, greater regional interdependence,
and the need to narrow the development gap among its Member Countries. Towards this
end, ASEAN Leaders, during the 13 th Summit on 20 November 2007 in Singapore, signed
the ASEAN Charter.
2.
ASEAN Charter will enable ASEAN to better position itself to overcome these challenges.
The Charter presents an opportunity for ASEAN to take stock of its achievements and
shortcomings, reaffirm its relevance, and forge a new path for its integration. Besides conferring a
legal personality on ASEAN, the Charter will also seek to infuse ASEAN with a renewed sense of
purpose, to reaffirm and codify key objectives and key principles, to strengthen its institutions and
organizational structure, and strive to narrow the development gap, so that ASEAN can retain its
role as a driving force in regional dialogue and cooperation.
Towards a New ASEAN
3.
In realizing ASEAN’s Vision of the ASEAN Community by 2015, ASEAN cooperation
will expand to many areas that will require changes in the way ASEAN works including
strong political will of ASEAN Leaders, and active support and involvement of the ASEAN
people.
4.
In addition to the founding objectives, the Charter enhances regional resilience by
promoting greater political, security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation towards
peace, security, poverty alleviation, narrowing development gap, a single market and
production base that is stable, prosperous and highly competitive within ASEAN. The
Charter also aims at promoting sustainable development, strengthening democracy,
enhancing good governance and the rule of law.
5.
The Charter promotes an ASEAN identity and enhances a people-oriented ASEAN
by enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of the ASEAN peoples through human
resources development and empowerment, protecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
6.
ASEAN common principles are reaffirmed as they have formed the foundation upon
which Member Countries have developed mutual trust and introduced a mechanism for
settlement of difference. The Charter contemplates how to improve decision-making in
ASEAN. This has, hitherto, been based on consultation and consensus.
7.
Building the ASEAN Community will require considerable resources. The operational
budget for ASEAN shall be met by Member Countries through equal annual contributions.
However, efforts should also be made to attract more resources from the business sector,
international organizations, and ASEAN’s partners.
8.
In order to deal with the increasing number of trans-national and trans-sectoral issues, the
Charter makes provisions for strengthening the overall ASEAN’s organizational structure, both in
Member Countries and for the ASEAN Secretariat. This is to achieve more effective coordination
among its various bodies in order to provide unity in purpose, focus and effective implementation of
ASEAN Leaders’ decisions and ASEAN agreements.
9.
By conferred legal personality, the Charter clearly signals ASEAN’s commitment to move
from an Association towards a structure inter-governmental organization in the context of legally
binding rules and agreements. All ASEAN Member Countries are urged to put in place measures,
including legislation, to give effect to such a legal personality. In stepping up ASEAN’s integration
efforts, a culture of honouring and implementing its decision and agreements, including appropriate
monitoring and compliance mechanisms, are to be established.
10.
The Charter nurtures external relations based on linkages with countries beyond the region
through its dialogues and forums, such as the Dialogue Partnerships, the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF), ASEAN Plus Three, and the EAST Asian Summit (EAS), of which these arrangements bring
unique strengths to the relationships and offer future cooperation opportunities. ASEAN can build
on such links to ensure that it remains outward-looking and successfully pursues friendly relations
and mutually beneficial cooperation with partners and friends. This will help forge a regional
architecture that is open and inclusive as well as strengthen regional cooperation to deal with the
increasing challenges. The full text of the ASEAN Charter can be obtained at
http://www.asean.org/ASEAN-Charter.pdf.
Action required:
The Meeting may wish to take note on the ASEAN Charter.