After the cold war ended in the late 1980s,
ASEAN tried to strengthen itself by expanding its
members on the hope that an increased in population
would translate in to economic growth, and
strength. Vietnam joined ASEAN in July 1995, Laos
and Myanmar in July 1997, and Cambodia in April
1999. The admission of the four new
members noticeably widened the political,
economical, and cultural diversity of ASEAN. The
ten members states have agreed that political stability
and long term economic growth could only be
attained if they all cooperate (ASEAN
Charter). However, with the expansion of Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), political and
economical disparities have ensued between the old
and the new member states. Moreover, the
development gap among the member states in the
region has also persisted. The challenges of the
CLMV countries and the role of development partner
will be discussed and examined.