Timor-Leste joins ASEAN as its 11th member

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) welcomed Timor-Leste as its 11th member on October 26.

• The flag of Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, was added to the other 10 on the stage at a formal ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. 

• The ceremony marked the opening of the 47th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits.

• Other member states of ASEAN are: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.

• The last country to join ASEAN was Cambodia in 1999.

Timor-Leste

• Timor-Leste became an independent nation in May 2002, following over 400 years of Portuguese colonisation, 24 years of Indonesian occupation, and three years of United Nations transitional administration. 

• Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002 resulted from a UN-sponsored referendum in August 1999.

• The country was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2002, making it Asia’s youngest democracy.

• The country faces the challenge of building a strong democracy and vibrant economy against a background of still-fragile institutions and limited human capital. 

• The capital of Timor-Leste is Dili.

• Timor-Leste officially applied for ASEAN membership in 2011. 

• In 2022, ASEAN Leaders agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste as a Member State, granting it Observer Status in ASEAN meetings. 

• This was followed by the adoption of the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in 2023, which guided its preparations to meet ASEAN’s membership criteria, including accession to ASEAN legal instruments and participation in meetings across all three ASEAN Community pillars.

• Timor-Leste’s accession to the ASEAN follows represents a symbolic victory for its President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the heroes of its struggle for independence.

• In 1996, Jose Ramos-Horta was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo  for their work towards a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in Timor-Leste.

• For Timor-Leste, ASEAN membership gives it access to the bloc’s free trade deals, investment opportunities and a broader regional market.