CHAPTER IV ORGANS

ARTICLE 7
ASEAN SUMMIT

1. The ASEAN Summit shall comprise the Heads of State or
Government of the Member States.
2. The ASEAN Summit shall:
(a) be the supreme policy-making body of ASEAN;
(b) deliberate, provide policy guidance and take decisions
on key issues pertaining to the realisation of the
objectives of ASEAN, important matters of interest to
Member States and all issues referred to it by the
ASEAN Coordinating Council, the ASEAN Community
Councils and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies;
(c) instruct the relevant Ministers in each of the Councils
concerned to hold ad hoc inter-Ministerial meetings,
and address important issues concerning ASEAN that
cut across the Community Councils. Rules of procedure
for such meetings shall be adopted by the ASEAN
Coordinating Council;
(d) address emergency situations affecting ASEAN by
taking appropriate actions;
(e) decide on matters referred to it under Chapters VII and
VIII;

(f) authorise the establishment and the dissolution of
Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and other ASEAN
institutions; and
(g) appoint the Secretary-General of ASEAN, with the rank
and status of Minister, who will serve with the
confidence and at the pleasure of the Heads of State or
Government upon the recommendation of the ASEAN
Foreign Ministers Meeting.
3. ASEAN Summit Meetings shall be:
(a) held twice annually, and be hosted by the Member
State holding the ASEAN Chairmanship; and
(b) convened, whenever necessary, as special or ad hoc
meetings to be chaired by the Member State holding
the ASEAN Chairmanship, at venues to be agreed
upon by ASEAN Member States.

ARTICLE 8
ASEAN COORDINATING COUNCIL

1. The ASEAN Coordinating Council shall comprise the ASEAN
Foreign Ministers and meet at least twice a year.
2. The ASEAN Coordinating Council shall:
(a) prepare the meetings of the ASEAN Summit;
(b) coordinate the implementation of agreements and
decisions of the ASEAN Summit;

(c) coordinate with the ASEAN Community Councils to
enhance policy coherence, efficiency and cooperation
among them;
(d) coordinate the reports of the ASEAN Community
Councils to the ASEAN Summit;
(e) consider the annual report of the Secretary-General on
the work of ASEAN;
(f) consider the report of the Secretary-General on the
functions and operations of the ASEAN Secretariat and
other relevant bodies;
(g) approve the appointment and termination of the Deputy
Secretaries-General upon the recommendation of the
Secretary-General; and
(h) undertake other tasks provided for in this Charter or
such other functions as may be assigned by the
ASEAN Summit.
3. The ASEAN Coordinating Council shall be supported by the
relevant senior officials.

ARTICLE 9
ASEAN COMMUNITY COUNCILS

1. The ASEAN Community Councils shall comprise the ASEAN
Political-Security Community Council, ASEAN Economic Community
Council, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council.

2. Each ASEAN Community Council shall have under its purview
the relevant ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies.
3. Each Member State shall designate its national representation
for each ASEAN Community Council meeting.
4. In order to realise the objectives of each of the three pillars of
the ASEAN Community, each ASEAN Community Council shall:
(a) ensure the implementation of the relevant decisions of
the ASEAN Summit;
(b) coordinate the work of the different sectors under its
purview, and on issues which cut across the other
Community Councils; and
(c) submit reports and recommendations to the ASEAN
Summit on matters under its purview.
5. Each ASEAN Community Council shall meet at least twice a
year and shall be chaired by the appropriate Minister from the Member
State holding the ASEAN Chairmanship.
6. Each ASEAN Community Council shall be supported by the
relevant senior officials.

ARTICLE 10
ASEAN SECTORAL MINISTERIAL BODIES

1. ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies shall:
(a) function in accordance with their respective established
mandates;
(b) implement the agreements and decisions of the ASEAN
Summit under their respective purview;
(c) strengthen cooperation in their respective fields in
support of ASEAN integration and community-building;
and
(d) submit reports and recommendations to their respective
Community Councils.
2. Each ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Body may have under its
purview the relevant senior officials and subsidiary bodies to undertake
its functions as contained in Annex 1. The Annex may be updated by
the Secretary-General of ASEAN upon the recommendation of the
Committee of Permanent Representatives without recourse to the
provision on Amendments under this Charter.

ARTICLE 11
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF ASEAN
AND ASEAN SECRETARIAT

1. The Secretary-General of ASEAN shall be appointed by the
ASEAN Summit for a non-renewable term of office of five years,
selected from among nationals of the ASEAN Member States based on
alphabetical rotation, with due consideration to integrity, capability and
professional experience, and gender equality.

2. The Secretary-General shall:
(a) carry out the duties and responsibilities of this high
office in accordance with the provisions of this Charter
and relevant ASEAN instruments, protocols and
established practices;
(b) facilitate and monitor progress in the implementation of
ASEAN agreements and decisions, and submit an
annual report on the work of ASEAN to the ASEAN
Summit;
(c) participate in meetings of the ASEAN Summit, the
ASEAN Community Councils, the ASEAN Coordinating
Council, and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and
other relevant ASEAN meetings;
(d) present the views of ASEAN and participate in
meetings with external parties in accordance with
approved policy guidelines and mandate given to the
Secretary-General; and
(e) recommend the appointment and termination of the
Deputy Secretaries-General to the ASEAN
Coordinating Council for approval.
3. The Secretary-General shall also be the Chief Administrative
Officer of ASEAN.

Secretaries-General with the rank and status of Deputy Ministers. The
Deputy Secretaries-General shall be accountable to the Secretary-
General in carrying out their functions.
5. The four Deputy Secretaries-General shall be of different
nationalities from the Secretary-General and shall come from four
different ASEAN Member States.
6. The four Deputy Secretaries-General shall comprise:
(a) two Deputy Secretaries-General who will serve a nonrenewable
term of three years, selected from among
nationals of the ASEAN Member States based on
alphabetical rotation, with due consideration to integrity,
qualifications, competence, experience and gender
equality; and
(b) two Deputy Secretaries-General who will serve a term
of three years, which may be renewed for another three
years. These two Deputy Secretaries-General shall be
openly recruited based on merit.
7. The ASEAN Secretariat shall comprise the Secretary-General
and such staff as may be required.
8. The Secretary-General and the staff shall:
(a) uphold the highest standards of integrity, efficiency, and
competence in the performance of their duties;

(b) not seek or receive instructions from any government or
external party outside of ASEAN; and
(c) refrain from any action which might reflect on their
position as ASEAN Secretariat officials responsible only
to ASEAN.
9. Each ASEAN Member State undertakes to respect the
exclusively ASEAN character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-
General and the staff, and not to seek to influence them in the
discharge of their responsibilities.

ARTICLE 12
COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES
TO ASEAN

1. Each ASEAN Member State shall appoint a Permanent
Representative to ASEAN with the rank of Ambassador based in
Jakarta.
2. The Permanent Representatives collectively constitute a
Committee of Permanent Representatives, which shall:
(a) support the work of the ASEAN Community Councils
and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies;
(b) coordinate with ASEAN National Secretariats and other
ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies;

(c) liaise with the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the
ASEAN Secretariat on all subjects relevant to its work;
(d) facilitate ASEAN cooperation with external partners;
and
(e) perform such other functions as may be determined by
the ASEAN Coordinating Council.

ARTICLE 13
ASEAN NATIONAL SECRETARIATS

Each ASEAN Member State shall establish an ASEAN National
Secretariat which shall:
(a) serve as the national focal point;
(b) be the repository of information on all ASEAN matters
at the national level;
(c) coordinate the implementation of ASEAN decisions at
the national level;
(d) coordinate and support the national preparations of
ASEAN meetings;
(e) promote ASEAN identity and awareness at the national
level; and
(f) contribute to ASEAN community building.

ARTICLE 14
ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS BODY

1. In conformity with the purposes and principles of the ASEAN
Charter relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, ASEAN shall establish an ASEAN human
rights body.
2. This ASEAN human rights body shall operate in accordance
with the terms of reference to be determined by the ASEAN Foreign
Ministers Meeting.

ARTICLE 15
ASEAN FOUNDATION

1. The ASEAN Foundation shall support the Secretary-General of
ASEAN and collaborate with the relevant ASEAN bodies to support
ASEAN community-building by promoting greater awareness of the
ASEAN identity, people-to-people interaction, and close collaboration
among the business sector, civil society, academia and other
stakeholders in ASEAN.
2. The ASEAN Foundation shall be accountable to the Secretary-
General of ASEAN, who shall submit its report to the ASEAN Summit
through the ASEAN Coordinating Council.