The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is the region’s largest interstate political and economic organization. Its tasks include solving many issues in various fields of activity at the intergovernmental level. At the same time, over the years of its existence, the organization has significantly transformed and undergone changes. Let's determine what the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is and find out the reasons for its creation.
Background of creation
First of all, let us dwell on the events that preceded the formation of ASEAN.
Prerequisites for the integration of countries in the region began to appear even after the end of World War II and their independence. But initially, these processes were more likely military-political, rather than economic in nature. This was due to the fact that the former metropolitan countries, although they granted their colonies independence, but at the same time tried not to lose political influence in the region and prevent the establishment of communist regimes in Indochina.
The result of these aspirations was the emergence in 1955-1956 of the military-political bloc of SEATO, which provided for the provision of collective protection in the region. The organization included the following states: Thailand, the country of the Philippines, Pakistan, Australia, USA, France, Great Britain. In addition, the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Vietnam worked closely with the bloc. But this military-political union did not last long. Initially, a number of countries emerged from it, and in 1977 it was finally abolished. The reason was the lesser interest of the former metropolises in the affairs of the region, the defeat of the United States in the war in Indochina, as well as the establishment of communist regimes in a number of states.
It became clear that the unification on a military-political basis is short-lived and is of a momentary nature. Countries in the region needed closer economic integration.
Initial steps towards this were made in 1961, when ASA was formed. It included the state of the Philippines, the Federation of Malaysia and Thailand. But still, initially this economic union was of secondary importance in relation to SEATO.
ASEAN Education
The leadership of the ASA countries and other states of the region understood that economic cooperation should expand both territorially and qualitatively. To this end, in 1967, an agreement was signed in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, called the ASEAN Declaration. Its signatories were, in addition to representatives of ASA countries, authorized delegates representing the state of Singapore and Indonesia. It was these five countries that stood at the origins of ASEAN.
1967 is considered the moment from which the Association of Southeast Asian Nations began to function.
Organization goals
It is time to find out what goals the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was pursuing at the time of its formation. They were formulated in the ASEAN Declaration mentioned above.
The main goals of the organization were to boost the dynamics of the economic development of its members, integrate between them and interact in various fields of activity, establish peace in the region, increase trade turnover within the Association.
Each of these goals was aimed at achieving a global idea - establishing prosperity in the region.
ASEAN Members
To date, 10 countries include the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The composition of the organization is composed of the following members:
- State of Thailand
- Federation of Malaysia;
- country Philippines;
- country of Indonesia;
- city-state of Singapore;
- Sultanate of Brunei;
- Vietnam (SRV);
- Laos (Lao PDR);
- Union of Myanmar;
- Cambodia.
The first five of these countries were the founders of ASEAN. The rest poured into the organization throughout the history of its development.
ASEAN Expansion
The Sultanate of Brunei, Vietnam, the country of Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia were included in ASEAN in subsequent years. The states of the region were increasingly drawn into mutual integration.
The state of Brunei was the first country in the region to join the five founders of ASEAN. This happened in 1984, that is, almost immediately, as soon as the country gained independence from Great Britain.
But the accession of Brunei was solitary. In the middle - second half of the 90s, several countries joined ASEAN at once, and this already testified to a certain tendency and prestige of membership in the organization.
In 1995, Vietnam became a member of ASEAN, a country whose governance was based on Marxist ideology. It should be noted that before that only ASEAN countries included the Western model as the basis for development. The entry into the organization of the communist state testified to the deepening of integration processes in the region and the priority of economic cooperation over political differences.
In 1997, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations replenished with two members at once. They became Laos and Myanmar. The first of them is also a country that has chosen the communist type of development.
At the same time, Cambodia was supposed to join the organization, but due to political turmoil this was postponed to 1999. However, in 1999 everything went smoothly, and the state became the tenth member of ASEAN.
The position of observers is Papua New Guinea and DR East Timor. In addition, in 2011, East Timor filed an official application for full membership in the organization. This application is pending.
Governing bodies
Let's look at the ASEAN governance structure.
The highest body of the Association is the summit of the heads of state included in it. Since 2001, it has been held annually, and until that time, meetings were organized once every three years. In addition, cooperation takes place in the form of meetings of representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs of the participating countries. They are also held annually. Recently, more and more meetings have begun to take place among representatives of other ministries, in particular agriculture and the economy.
The current management of ASEAN affairs is entrusted to the Secretariat of the organization located in the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. The head of this body is the Secretary General. In addition, ASEAN has nearly three dozen relevant committees and more than a hundred working groups.
ASEAN Activities
Consider the main activities of this organization.
Currently, the fundamental document that is taken as the basis for determining the overall strategic development of the organization and the relationships within it is the agreement signed in Bali by the delegates of the participating countries.
Since 1977, an agreement on simplified trade between the states of the region began to operate. The integration of Southeast Asian countries in the economy was consolidated in 1992 by the creation of a regional free trade zone , called AFTA. This is considered by many experts to be the main achievement of ASEAN. At this stage, the Association, as a subject of international law, is working on concluding free trade agreements with China, India, the Australian Union, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of Korea and several other countries.
In the early 90s, the threat of economic and political dominance of the United States in the region became especially significant. This tried to prevent Malaysia. The country proposed the creation of a Council that, in addition to ASEAN states, would include China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. This organization was supposed to protect regional interests. But the project could not be implemented, as it met stubborn resistance from the United States and Japan.
However, China, Korea and Japan still managed to attract to the activities of the Association. For this purpose, the ASEAN Plus Three organization was created in 1997.
Another important program is the task of ensuring security and political stability in the region. In 1994, a security forum began to work, called the ARF. However, members of the organization did not want to turn ASEAN into a military bloc. In 1995, they signed an agreement that recognized Southeast Asia as a nuclear-weapon-free region.
The organization also actively addresses environmental issues.
Development prospects
Further economic integration of the states of the region, as well as deepening cooperation with other Asia-Pacific countries, is a priority for ASEAN in the future. This program is designed to be implemented by the ASEAN United Community, founded in 2015.
Another objective of the organization in the near future is to bridge the gap in economic development between its members. Thailand, the country of Singapore and Malaysia are now economically ahead of other states in the region. By 2020, it is planned to significantly reduce this gap.
Organization value
ASEAN is very important for the development of Southeast Asia. Since the inception of the Association, one of the most backward regions of Asia has joined the ranks of the leading ones not only on the continent, but also in the world. In addition, the number of armed conflicts in the region has significantly decreased. The development of economic relations between members of the Association contributes to their prosperity.
The organization plans to achieve even more significant peaks.