Government of Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste will be officially admitted as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the 47th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the regional organisation, scheduled for October 2025, also in Kuala Lumpur. 

Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian Prime Minister, made the announcement at the plenary session of the 46th ASEAN Summit, which is taking place in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian head of government said: “This is a historic moment, not only for Timor-Leste, but for the entire ASEAN family. Timor-Leste's journey towards full membership reflects our collective vision of a united, cohesive, and future-oriented ASEAN.” The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to all regional and international partners who contributed to the realisation of this step, recognising the joint efforts made throughout the process.

Timor-Leste's full membership in ASEAN has been in preparation since November 2022, when Member States agreed in principle to integrate the country, granting it observer status with full participation in meetings and summits. The Roadmap for Full Membership, agreed in 2023, established technical and institutional criteria that Timor-Leste has been implementing with the support of ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat. 

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão leads the Timorese delegation to the 46th Summit, which comprises several members of the Government. In the days leading up to the plenary session, the delegation actively participated in the main meetings of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community—Political-Security, Economic, and Socio-Cultural—where the progress made in implementing the Roadmap was presented. 

During the 25th Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Community Council, Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Francisco Kalbuadi Lay stated that “almost all ASEAN member countries have already declared their support for the full accession of Timor-Leste,” highlighting the progress made in strengthening national capacities with the support of regional partners. 

The Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Rangel, participated in the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held on May 24^th and accompanied the Vice Minister of Trade and Industry, Augusto Júnior Trindade, in signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), aimed at supporting the formulation of public policies aligned with the objectives of regional integration.

Yesterday, following a press conference after the ministerial meetings, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, emphasised the “firm support for the full accession of Timor-Leste,” highlighting the operationalisation of the Unit for Timor-Leste at the ASEAN Secretariat and the commencement of internal legal procedures in member states with a view to formalising accession in October.