The new treaty marked a major step in strengthening regional legal cooperation and ASEAN’s collective capacity to combat transnational crime.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, attended the signing ceremony of the ASEAN Treaty on Extradition, held on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Law Ministers’ Meeting (ALAWMM) in Manila, Philippines. The ceremony brought together senior legal officials and ministers from across the region to endorse this significant development in ASEAN’s legal cooperation.
The signing of the treaty represented a historic milestone for ASEAN, reflecting the region’s shared commitment to enhancing legal and institutional frameworks. It also demonstrated the organisation’s determination to strengthen mechanisms that reinforce trust, cooperation and mutual legal assistance among Member States.
Image by: The ASEAN Secretary
The ASEAN Treaty on Extradition established a unified regional framework to facilitate the extradition of individuals wanted for serious offences, ensuring that ASEAN countries are better equipped to respond collectively to criminal threats that transcend national boundaries. The agreement aimed to improve the region’s resilience in preventing fugitives from exploiting jurisdictional gaps.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Kao welcomed the achievement and underscored its importance in advancing ASEAN’s broader agenda on rule of law, justice and security cooperation. He acknowledged the strong collaboration among ASEAN Member States that enabled the treaty to reach conclusion, noting that the agreement would complement existing regional and international legal instruments.
The treaty is expected to strengthen ASEAN’s efforts in combatting transnational crime, including terrorism, trafficking and cyber-enabled offences. With the formal signing completed, Member States will proceed with their respective domestic processes to bring the treaty into force, paving the way for deeper regional legal integration.
Source: The ASEAN Secretary
