PROMOTING COMPLIANCE: AN ASSESSMENT OF ASEAN INSTRUMENTS SINCE THE ASEAN CHARTER

For nearly 47 years of its existence and development, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made much progress on its way to building a cooperative framework for Southeast Asian countries. It has, in fact, made significant contributions to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability and cooperation for development not only in Southeast Asia, but also in the Asia-Pacific region at large. Since the signing of the ASEAN Charter, more than sixty ASEAN instruments have been concluded. This article aims to examine and assess compliance monitoring mechanisms as provided in the ASEAN Charter and different ASEAN instruments concluded since 2007. Initial steps to establish various mechanisms to promote the implementation of ASEAN instruments have been taken. First and foremost, the ASEAN Charter creates a division of work according to which the ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies have the responsibility to implement all ASEAN agreements, the ASEAN Coordinating Council shall coordinate the implementation, and the ASEAN Secretary-General shall monitor the progress of implementation.