Marking the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN–Germany Development Partnership, the Secretary-General of ASEAN strengthened strategic, economic and security cooperation during a high-level working visit to Germany.
H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), undertook a working visit to the Germany from 11 to 17 February 2026 in conjunction with his participation in the Munich Security Conference 2026 (MSC). The visit coincided with the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN–Germany Development Partnership and was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The programme highlighted a decade of sustained engagement and reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to deepening cooperation in the years ahead.
At MSC 2026, Dr. Kao delivered keynote remarks at the MSC Spotlight on Maritime Security, underscoring that maritime security is a shared and interconnected responsibility affecting trade, energy and food security, as well as livelihoods across ASEAN and Europe. He also participated in the GIZ–MSC side event, All Hands on Deck: Upholding Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific, where he emphasised ASEAN’s central role in advancing maritime cooperation through ASEAN-led multilateral mechanisms and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). In addition, he joined high-level discussions at the MSC Roundtable, Power Couples: Trade and Green Energy Cooperation between Europe and the Global South, and the Breakfast Session, Bridges or Battlegrounds? Science Diplomacy between Hard Power and Big Tech, exploring trade, climate collaboration and the evolving role of science diplomacy amid global security challenges.
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Secretary-General held bilateral meetings with senior leaders, including H.E. Florian Hahn, Deputy Foreign Minister and Minister of State of Germany; H.E. Stefan Rouenhoff, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Ms. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director of GIZ; H.E. Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; and H.E. Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. These engagements provided an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments, economic cooperation and shared global priorities.
Following MSC 2026, Dr. Kao visited Berlin for meetings with senior German officials, including H.E. Reem Alabali Radovan, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development; H.E. Frank Hartmann, Director of the Asia-Pacific Department at the Federal Foreign Office; and Mr. Paul Göttke of the German Bundestag. He also met Dr. Stefan Mair of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). The visit further featured a Dialogue Forum with leading German think tanks, a student dialogue at the Hertie School, and a fireside conversation at the Freie Universität Berlin on regional stability amid global disorder.
Engagement with the private sector formed an important pillar of the visit. The Secretary-General participated in the ASEAN–Germany Business Roundtable at the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft, hosted by the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV) and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA). Attended by Ambassadors of ASEAN Member States and German business leaders, the Roundtable highlighted ASEAN’s evolving role in a changing global landscape and reinforced the importance of strengthening economic and green cooperation between ASEAN and Germany.
Source: The official Facebook Page of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
