A big, big thank you to all of you for joining us this morning to witness this ceremony. Your presence here signifies the importance you attach to ASEAN.

Indeed, ASEAN has grown much in the past 5 years. We are running out of space in this building. Substantively, we achieved several milestones as ASEAN Leaders push ahead with their community-building initiatives for ASEAN: a single market, narrowing the development gap, a caring and sharing society and a peaceful and prosperous region.

All the ideas and actions culminated in the ASEAN Charter, an unprecedented effort for regional cooperation and unity.

ASEAN has been helped by its many friends and well wishers in the 40 years of existence. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our grouping, we also celebrate the anniversary of ASEAN’s Dialogue Partnerships with Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, the USA, Canada, and the United Nations. We concluded many agreements with our Dialogue Partners, particularly FTAs for trade and investment liberalisation. The ASEAN-China FTA is the trail blazer and ASEAN-Korea FTA and ASEAN-Japan FTA are concrete affirmations of ASEAN Leaders’ vision for economic integration and management of globalisation.

The FTAs with India, Australia and New Zealand are nearing their conclusion. ASEAN has started to talk with the European Union on their FTA.

The ASEAN Regional Forum, the ARF, is also brought about a new level of dialogue and cooperation on political-security issues. The ARF has 27 participants and is the only process of its kind.

ASEAN has looked to relations with countries and regional organisations in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Pacific. It is really an exciting prospect to reach out to such far and wide arenas.

ASEAN, as we all know it, will change with the ASEAN Charter. This transformation is not like using batik long-sleeve for the usual coat and tie. It is not just the design of the batik. But, it is about the fabric for the batik. All mindsets have to be transformed. The decision-makers in government, in business and civil society. At the same time, all our citizens must feel that ASEAN is bringing a new day and a new life for them. They all want to have a nice batik to own and show off!

A lot of work lies ahead.

Let me say a big thank you to my colleagues at the ASEAN Secretariat. We work hard to keep the ASEAN Secretariat efficient and effective. As a basic foundation, we got ASEAN Secretariat certified by ISO; we were told that it is the first regional organisation to be ISO-certified. The Charter will make more demands on the ASEAN Secretariat. It is fit and ready to do more.

Last but not least, I would like to thank the Indonesian Government and the city of Jakarta as host. It has been an extremely pleasant and enjoyable 5 years in this burgeoning urban centre.

Congratulations, Dr. Surin.