Timor-Leste formally joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its 11th member today, completing the bloc’s geographic representation of the region after a more than decade-long pursuit by the young nation.
The admission marks ASEAN’s first expansion in 26 years, since Cambodia’s entry in 1999. It brings all sovereign states of Southeast Asia into the regional alliance.
The Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste to ASEAN was signed during the opening ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia.
Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão represented Timor-Leste at the historic signing. Leaders from all ten existing ASEAN member states were present, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnveerakul, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah.
The final legal steps were completed yesterday, October 25, when Timor-Leste submitted its Instruments of Accession to the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ).
Timor-Leste, which gained independence on May 20, 2002, initially applied for ASEAN membership in 2011.
Significant progress toward its inclusion came in 2022. During the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, leaders agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member and granted it observer status at all ASEAN meetings, including summits.
Further steps were taken at the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, where leaders endorsed a roadmap for Timor-Leste’s full membership. This plan focuses on strengthening national institutions, developing human capital, and building capacity within the country.
With a population of approximately 1.4 million, Timor-Leste is the only Asian country with Portuguese as an official language. Its economy relies heavily on oil and gas exports. The nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow by 3.4 percent in 2024 and 3.9 percent in 2025.
President José Ramos-Horta expressed profound gratitude for the unwavering support from Malaysia and Prime Minister Anwar. He acknowledged potential weaknesses but pledged to improve and fulfill duties as an ASEAN member.
Ramos-Horta also promised that Timor-Leste would be a “loyal and stable friend of ASEAN,” dedicated to contributing to peace, stability, and brotherhood across the region. He articulated a goal of participating in ASEAN’s vision of inclusive development, aiming for Southeast Asia to be a land of peace, prosperity, and justice.