Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Name:	Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Abbreviation:	ASEAN
URL to homepage:	http://www.aseansec.org
Country:	Indonesia

Mandate

The Bangkok Declaration sets out the objectives of the Association as follows:

to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations;
to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law on the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter;
to promote active collaborations and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific and administrative fields;
to provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres;
to collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their agriculture and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the problems of international commodity trade, the improvement of their transportation and communication facilities and the raising of the living standards of their peoples;
to promote Southeast Asia studies; and
to maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves.

policy coordination, industry, production, standards, herbal medicine, monitoring, research, capacity building