ASEAN officially welcomed Timor-Leste as its 11th member yesterday, marking a historic expansion of the regional bloc for the first time in 26 years and signalling a new era of unity and cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The milestone was announced at the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, under Malaysia’s chairmanship. Timor-Leste’s admission was among the first agenda items endorsed following the opening ceremony, formalising its entry into the grouping.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao joined the leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states for the signing of documents sealing the country’s membership, followed by a group photo where leaders interlocked arms in the traditional ASEAN gesture of solidarity.
Congratulating Timor-Leste, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said its inclusion “completes the ASEAN family.”
“Within this community, Timor-Leste’s development and its strategic autonomy will find firm and lasting support,” Anwar said, reaffirming ASEAN’s commitment to inclusivity and shared growth.
Gusmao described the moment as a proud and humbling milestone for his country, which gained independence in 2002 after decades of struggle.
“Timor-Leste joins with humility and with pride, fully embracing the core values of ASEAN—mutual respect, peaceful cooperation, unity in diversity, and regional solidarity,” he said.
He added that the country’s membership marks “not the end of a journey but the beginning of a new chapter”—one aimed at contributing to ASEAN’s vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and people-centred community.
Delegates of Timor-Leste erupted in applause as the country’s accession was confirmed, ending a 14-year pursuit that began with its membership application in 2011.
ASEAN granted in-principle approval to Timor-Leste in 2022, paving the way for full membership after years of institutional strengthening and capacity-building to meet the bloc’s political, economic, and administrative standards.
Timor-Leste is the first new member since Cambodia joined in 1999, and its inclusion underscores ASEAN’s continued relevance amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and global economic challenges.
Founded in 1967 by five nations—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand—ASEAN now represents a community of over 700 million people.
Cambodia has been a strong supporter of Timor-Leste’s admission into the bloc.
On Friday, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Prak Sokhonn took part in the 37th ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, during which Cambodia reiterated its support for Timor-Leste’s full integration and engagement across ASEAN mechanisms.
The meeting formally welcomed Timor-Leste into the ASEAN Community, marking a milestone in the organisation’s efforts to enhance regional inclusiveness and unity. Member states expressed confidence that Timor-Leste’s accession would further strengthen ASEAN’s cohesion, resilience, and shared vision in achieving the ASEAN Vision 2045.
