The ASEAN Secretariat is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, serving as the administrative body for the ten member states of Southeast Asia. It oversees programmes and initiatives launched by the regional organisation. Established in 1976, the Secretariat’s mandate is to enhance efficiency through coordinating intergovernmental plans and operations, thereby strengthening cooperation across all domains. The ASEAN Secretariat comprises the Office of the Secretary-General and three Directorates: the Economic Integration Directorate, the External Relations and Coordination Directorate, and the Resources Development Directorate. The head of the ASEAN Secretariat is the Secretary-General, who is appointed through a merit-based rotational nomination process by ASEAN member states at the ministerial level. Each Secretary-General serves a four-year term with the mandate to initiate, advise, coordinate, and implement ASEAN activities.