New York, 27 September 2007

The Secretaries-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations (UN) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a partnership for closer cooperation.

Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Ong Keng Yong and Secretary-General of UN, H.E. Ban Ki Moon signed the MoU at the UN Headquarters in New York. The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN.

The signing of the MoU demonstrates the commitment of both organisations to work together to promote regional peace and stability and to realise the Millennium Development Goals.

In welcoming the conclusion of the MoU, H.E. Ong Keng Yong stated that the MOU complemented ASEAN’s own goal of realising an ASEAN Community by 2015. He said the signing of the MoU and the granting of observer status for ASEAN at the UN by the General Assembly in 2006 had clearly recognised ASEAN’s contribution to regional peace and development. 

H.E.  Ban Ki Moon said the MoU built on the long-standing relationship between the two organizations and the UN’s Charter-based commitment to work in close cooperation with regional organizations.  In this regard, he underlined the important role that ASEAN was already playing in promoting dialogue and cooperation in political, economic, and social fields amongst its member states.  The MoU provided an important framework for the two institutions to strengthen their interactions.

Under the MoU, the ASEAN and UN would cooperate on matters of mutual interest, including political, economic and socio-cultural areas.  The cooperative elements include, amongst others, exchange of information and expertise, joint technical assistance programmes and projects as well as creating greater fora for consultations. The Secretaries-General of ASEAN and UN shall make appropriate administrative arrangements to ensure effective communication between the Secretariats of the two organisations and implementation of the MoU.

Over the years, ASEAN has been collaborating with a number of specialised agencies of the UN with a view to enhance capacity building, and capacity development. This is expected to be expanded with the signing of the MoU.