Timor-Leste officially admitted to Asean, becoming its 11th member
It first applied for membership to the group in 2011 and received in-principle approval in 2022
[KUALA LUMPUR] For the first time in 26 years, Asean has expanded its ranks, with Timor-Leste officially admitted as the grouping’s 11th member on Oct 26.
The announcement came as regional leaders convened for the 47th Asean Summit and related meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, hosted under Malaysia’s current chairmanship.
Timor-Leste’s admission was made official after the summit’s opening ceremony, marking a milestone for both the island nation of 1.3 million people, and Asean, at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics and persistent global economic uncertainty.
Timor-Leste is the first country to join the grouping since Cambodia’s admission in 1999.
The nation, which gained independence in 2002 after decades of conflict and foreign occupation, now becomes part of a community that began as a five-member association in 1967 and today represents more than 700 million people in South-east Asia.
Timor-Leste first applied for membership in 2011 and received in-principle approval in 2022, following years of institutional strengthening and capacity-building efforts to meet Asean’s political, economic and administrative requirements.
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Observers said the expansion underscores Asean’s commitment to openness and regional cohesion, even as questions persist over its ability to maintain unity and relevance amid intensifying competition among major powers.
Timor-Leste’s admission was formalised on the morning of Oct 26, as Asean leaders endorsed the country’s entry as one of the first items on the summit agenda following the opening ceremony.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao joined the 10 Asean leaders for the signing of documents confirming the nation’s long-awaited entry, officially sealing its place as the grouping’s 11th member. The leaders later posed for photographs and interlocked arms in the traditional Asean gesture of unity.
Over the next three days, they will hold a series of meetings among themselves and with external partners, with discussions expected to range from the United States-China trade tensions to Myanmar.
They are also scheduled to meet key partners including US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Other attending leaders include Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. THE STRAITS TIMES
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