Timor-Leste was officially accepted as the 11th member of ASEAN through an agreement signed at the organization’s 47th summit in Kuala Lumpur, marking the country’s true integration into the regional community since its application began in 2011.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who holds the rotating seat as ASEAN 2025 Chairman, described Timor-Leste’s participation as “completing the ASEAN family” and strengthening the spirit of regional unity and solidarity.
In his statement, Anwar called on Timor-Leste to work together to develop an inclusive and sustainable ASEAN, by adhering to the organization’s core values such as respect for diversity, peaceful cooperation and common development.
The Malaysian government has previously played an active role in supporting Timor-Leste’s entry through capacity building assistance and KL-Dili strategic cooperation including memorandums of understanding in the fields of health, rural development and trade.
Timor-Leste, the youngest country in Southeast Asia and currently with a population of about 1.4 million and a GDP of around $2 billion, hopes that ASEAN membership will open the way to greater trade, investment and economic integration opportunities in a market of hundreds of millions of people.
Despite challenges such as institutional capacity that needs to be strengthened and economic disparities that exist, Timor-Leste’s leaders have hailed the move as a “historic moment” and the beginning of a new era of regional cooperation in building a stronger future for their people.
