The ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF) was originally conceived in 2011 as ASEAN Mayors Forum (AMF) when visionary mayors in Southeast Asia met for the first time in Surabaya, Indonesia, to demonstrate the importance of local contributions to ASEAN’s regional integration.

The Forum has gained prominence since 2015, with successive AMF meetings to discuss the ASEAN Community building and how mayors can help accelerate its progress and benefits for citizens. In 2018, AMF was accredited as an entity associated to ASEAN, due to ASEAN member states official recognition of its common goals on and contribution to the ASEAN’s community building.