Spotlight on:
The ASEAN Foundation

The ASEAN Foundation is based in Jakarta, Indonesia

Since its founding almost a decade ago, the ASEAN Foundation has worked to support ASEAN’s community-building efforts by focussing on the development of human resources in four sectors of ASEAN cooperation, namely, social development, science and technology, environment, and culture and information. It has organised a variety training and skills development activities, including seminars, workshops, network building events, and fellowships.

The ASEAN Foundation was established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on 15 December 1997. The Foundation was created to promote greater awareness of ASEAN; encourage greater interaction among the peoples of ASEAN, and facilitate their wider participation in ASEAN’s activities through human resources development; and contribute to the evolution of a development cooperation strategy in ASEAN that promotes mutual assistance, equitable economic development, and the alleviation of poverty.

 Recent ASEAN Summit mandates and emerging challenges facing ASEAN had resulted in a re-alignment and refinement of the Foundation’s priorities and functions. The focus is now on enhancing greater awareness of ASEAN by demonstrating its relevance and benefit to the ASEAN peoples; placing a focus on the ASEAN youth and their role in building as well as sustaining an ASEAN community in the years ahead; and promoting greater access to information and communication technology (ICT) by various social groups as a means to empower people and reduce the development gaps and disparities in the region. The ASEAN Foundation works in close coordination with all the ten ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat and other relevant ASEAN bodies. It has also established partnerships with foreign donor agencies as well as the private sector. A major source of funding contribution comes from the Government of Japan. Additional contributions have come from the governments of People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, France, and Canada, as well as businesses such as the Microsoft Corporation and Hewlett Packard. The ASEAN Foundation comprises a Board of Trustees, Council of Advisors and a Secretariat. Each ASEAN member country and the ASEAN Secretariat is represented on the Board and Council. The ASEAN Foundation Secretariat is headed by an Executive Director who represents the Foundation in all administrative and operational matters.

For more information, contact:
The ASEAN Foundation Secretariat
2 Jl Sam Ratulangi, Menteng 10350 Jakarta, Indonesia
Tel. (62.21) 3192.4833 / 4828
Fax (62.21) 3192.6078
Email: secretariat@aseanfoundation.org
Website: www.aseanfoundation.org