ESTABLISHMENT

The beginnings of EROPA date back to February 1958, when the representatives of the governments of eleven countries in Asia gathered in Saigon to hold preliminary talks on establishing a permanent institution to promote good government in the area. At the Saigon meeting, it was decided that a general conference of states and institutions in the region should be convened in the Philippines in June of that year to consider the structure and other features of such a permanent regional body.

Accordingly, in June 1958, a two-week conference was held in the cities of Manila and Baguio. In attendance were delegates and observers from Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, and the Republic of Vietnam. International organizations including the International Institute of Administrative Sciences were also represented.

Among others, it was decided at the Conference to create a regional organization in order to help advance the economic and social development of the region through the promotion of the study, practice and status of public administration and adoption of good administrative systems.

A constitution was drafted and a provisional Executive Council was elected. This Council met in Hong Kong in December 1959 to discuss the final details for carrying out the plans of the Organization.

The Constitution of EROPA took effect on 5 December 1960, when 5 states in the region - Australia, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and the Republic of Vietnam - became the founding States members of the Organization. On the same day, the first EROPA General Assembly was formally opened in the conference Hall of the regional headquarters of Health Organization in Manila. President Carlos P. Garcia of the Philippines delivered the welcome address at the Assembly.

On July 1, 1961, Thailand became the sixth member of the EROPA and hosted the Second General Assembly held in October 1962, at which time the admission of the Republic of Korea to EROPA as the seventh state member was announced. In 1963, Iran became the eighth state member. Pakistan was welcomed as the ninth state member in October 1965. The Fourth General Assembly hosted by Iran in December 1966 welcomed Malaysia as the tenth state member of the Organization. The eleventh state member, Indonesia, formally joined the EROPA in May 1971 when the Sixth General Assembly held in the Philippines approved its membership.

Nepal was admitted as the twelfth state member in October 1983. In December 1985, India was formally conferred membership to the Organization as the thirteenth state member.

In 1966 EROPA was accorded consultative status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council emphasizing the cooperative relationship between the UN and EROPA.

Since its inception, EROPA has been undertaking various activities in pursuit of the objectives it has set forth largely through the help of governments who are member states of EROPA and financial support of other international organization.