The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly known as ASEAN, is an intergovernmental forum of Southeast Asian countries. As of 2026, it has 11 member states and is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia.

ASEAN was founded on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Its work includes promoting economic development, peaceful coexistence and adherence to international norms.

ASEAN generally operates by consensus and emphasizes respect for the national sovereignty of its members. This limits the organization’s ability to compel a member state to change its domestic policies.

In the context of regional haze from Indonesian forest and land fires, Malaysia said it would use diplomatic engagement and ASEAN mechanisms to strengthen cooperation on haze management.