“Timor-Leste” becomes ASEAN member! after 14 years in the making

(Right to left) José Ramos-Horta (President of Timor-Leste), Anwar Ibrahim (ASEAN Chairman and Prime Minister of Malaysia), and Xanana Gusmao (Prime Minister of Timor-Leste) attended the 47th ASEAN Summit which certified Timor-Leste as a member of ASEAN.

On 26 October 2025, at the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a signing ceremony officially certified Timor-Leste as the 11th member of ASEAN.

Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN Chairman and Prime Minister of Malaysia, stated, “Timor-Leste completes the ASEAN family, reaffirming our shared destiny and deep sense of regional kinship.”

He added, “Within this community, Timor-Leste's development and its strategic autonomy will find firm and lasting support.”

Who is Timor-Leste?

Timor-Leste is the youngest country in the region, having gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, after over 24 years of Indonesian occupation.

José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, first campaigned for Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN in 2011, and the country was granted observer status in 2022.

Timor-Leste faced a lot of challenges, such as poverty, inequality, malnutrition, and unemployment, after the long occupation by Indonesia./ Photo: The Borgen Project

Timor-Leste faced numerous challenges, including high levels of inequality, malnutrition, and unemployment, and has worked hard to overcome these issues.

Timor-Leste as the 11th Member of ASEAN

On 25 October 2025, Timor-Leste submitted its Instruments of Accession to the ASEAN Charter and the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), completing the final legal step in the ASEAN membership process.

The following day, 26 October 2025, at the 47th ASEAN Summit, the leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries signed a declaration officially admitting Timor-Leste.

The picture of the 11 leaders of ASEAN captures the moment when Timor-Leste was officially certified as a new member.

President Ramos-Horta said, “We thank Malaysia and all Asean leaders for the trust in us, that we are capable of discharging our responsibilities as an Asean member. We have weaknesses, but we pledge and promise to improve and to do better year after year.”

He added, “My short message to Malaysia, to Asean, is that we will do our best to be a loyal, steady friend of all in Asean, and contribute to making the region ever more credible and influential in the world.”

The signing marks a major achievement for Malaysia as ASEAN Chairmanship and represents the first expansion of ASEAN in 26 years, bringing the organization to encompass all countries in Southeast Asia.

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Source of material: official media /online news