KLCC, Malaysia
22 November 2015

A historic milestone for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States was created as the ten Heads of State/Government, including President Benigno S. Aquino III, formally signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Community and the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together.

The signing ceremony paved the way for the formal establishment of the ASEAN Community on 31 December 2015, marking the culmination of nearly five decades of efforts within the region to integrate, cohere and forge ahead together.

Likewise, the ten ASEAN leaders signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together that incorporates the ASEAN Community Vision. This is a “bold, visionary, progressive and forward-looking document that reflects the aspirations of the next generation of ASEAN nationals and aims to sustain the momentum of regional integration and further contribute to the strengthening of the ASEAN community-building efforts.”

“Through the consolidation and integration process, it is envisaged that ASEAN will be able to respond proactively and effectively to the emerging threats and challenges presented by the rapidly changing regional and global landscape,” according to the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 Process briefer.

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