Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In a landmark moment for Southeast Asia, Timor‑Leste officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) today. The 11th country in the bloc was admitted during the opening ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit, held from October 26‑28 in Kuala Lumpur.
Timor‑Leste first sought ASEAN membership in 2011. Over the next decade the group of leaders worked closely with the country, granting it observer status in 2022 and approving a “Roadmap for Full Membership” in 2023. The roadmap helped the nation meet key criteria, such as agreeing to ASEAN legal instruments and engaging in the bloc’s three Community pillars – economic, political‑security, and socio‑cultural.
During the summit, ASEAN leaders and Timor‑Leste’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao, signed a declaration confirming the nation’s new status. The leaders posed together afterward for a celebratory group photo, marking the first ASEAN expansion since 1999.
The ASEAN network, founded in Bangkok in 1967, originally comprised Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei joined in 1984, and Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia followed in the 1990s. Today, Timor‑Leste’s admission expands the community to 11 members.
Malaysia, chairing ASEAN for 2025, has hosted the summit under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” Beyond the main meeting, the week also featured the ASEAN Plus One Summit with partners such as Australia, China, India, Japan and the US; the ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summits; the ASEAN‑UN Summit; and a 50‑year‑anniversary commemoration with New Zealand. Malaysia also scheduled the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit and the 3rd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders Meeting on sidelines.
Timor‑Leste’s entry strengthens regional cooperation and underscores ASEAN’s focus on unity, economic growth and sustainable development across Southeast Asia.
Source: ianslive
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