In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 1 May 1927
- Birthplace
- Indonesia
- Country
- Indonesia
- Nationality
- Indonesian
- Known for
- Leading the ASEAN Secretariat as the association prepared its major 1992 institutional reforms
- ASEAN office
- 8th Secretary-General
- Term
- 17 July 1989 – 1 January 1993
- Earlier role
- Indonesian ambassador to Belgium
- Also written as
- Rusli Noor
Why this life matters
Roesli’s term bridged ASEAN’s original Secretariat structure and the 1992 reforms that created a stronger, ministerial-level secretary-generalship.
Timeline
Key moments
Led external economic relations
Served as an Indonesian director-general responsible for foreign economic, social and cultural relations.
Ambassador in Brussels
Represented Indonesia in Belgium and in relations with European institutions.
Became ASEAN secretary-general
Succeeded Roderick Yong in July as the eighth leader of the permanent Secretariat.
Served through institutional reform
His final year coincided with the Singapore Summit and the protocol that strengthened and redesignated the office.
Transferred the office
Completed his term as Ajit Singh became the first secretary-general under the revised structure.
Economic and European diplomacy
Roesli Noor entered ASEAN leadership after senior work in Indonesia’s foreign service. United Nations records identify him as a director-general for foreign economic, social and cultural relations, a portfolio closely connected to the expanding agenda of regional cooperation.
He later represented Indonesia in Brussels. That experience mattered as ASEAN developed economic and political links with the European Community and other external partners.
Leading ASEAN before the 1992 redesign
Roesli took office in July 1989 under the title Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat. The association was still governed through a relatively small permanent administration, while most authority remained with national governments and ministerial bodies.
During his final year, the 1992 Singapore Summit called for a stronger Secretariat. A protocol redesignated the next officeholder as Secretary-General of ASEAN, granted ministerial status and established a five-year tenure with wider responsibilities.
A bridge between two institutional eras
Roesli completed his term at the opening of 1993. He was therefore the last leader whose appointment began entirely under the pre-1992 arrangement and the person who carried the Secretariat through the reform decision itself.
His place in the sequence is best understood institutionally: he connected the rotating administrative office created in 1976 to the more visible regional leadership role that followed.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Roesli Noor
- Who is Roesli Noor?
- Roesli Noor is an eighth Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat. Roesli’s term bridged ASEAN’s original Secretariat structure and the 1992 reforms that created a stronger, ministerial-level secretary-generalship.
- What is Roesli Noor best known for?
- Roesli Noor is best known for leading the ASEAN Secretariat as the association prepared its major 1992 institutional reforms.
- When and where was Roesli Noor born?
- Roesli Noor was born on 1 May 1927 in Indonesia.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 9 September 2026.
