ASEAN: Out of Its Depth?

ASEAN began 1997 under challenge from the United States and the European Union over its plans to admit Myanmar into the Association. It then faced successive crises relating to renewed civil war in Cambodia, the haze problem caused by massive forest fires in Indonesia, and the regional financial turmoil. ASEAN had some success in addressing the first two issues, which resembled problems faced in the past, though they have by no means been resolved. The haze, and especially the regional financial turmoil, represented new problems for ASEAN, and the organization was generally ineffective in addressing them. The approach to financial issues was, however, better conceived than ASEAN has been given credit for, and should prove beneficial over the long run.