Government of Timor-Leste

At the 58th Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), held on July 9^th, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, ASEAN member states reaffirmed ‘ASEAN's commitment to an inclusive and sustainable regional community by supporting Timor-Leste's full membership of ASEAN.

Timor-Leste was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel.

In the joint communiqué issued after the meeting, the Ministers underscored the “commitment to implement the ASEAN Leaders’ decision at the 46th ASEAN Summit, as follows: ‘to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member of ASEAN at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October 2025 and task our Ministers and Senior Officials to undertake the procedural steps for the admission of Timor- Leste by the 47th ASEAN Summit, as well as to expedite negotiations on the key economic agreements’.”

ASEAN recognized and “welcomed Timor-Leste’s commitment to accede to, implement and abide by all ASEAN treaties, conventions, agreements and instruments under the three ASEAN Community pillars, in accordance with Criterion II of the objective and criteria-based Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN, which was adopted by the Leaders at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in May 2023 as the basis for Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN”.

The ministers also reaffirmed the “commitment to support Timor-Leste in expediting its early accession to the key ASEAN economic agreements to facilitate its full integration into ASEAN”.

In this context, they expressed confidence in the Timorese accession process: “We looked forward to Timor-Leste fulfilling its roles and obligations as an incoming member state and its commitment to uphold ASEAN’s fundamental principles”.

Timor-Leste's active participation as an Observer was also recognized: “We commended Timor-Leste’s active participation as an Observer in ASEAN meetings and its commitment to full membership and fulfilling all criteria under the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN”.

The Ministers encouraged the country to continue its internal efforts, emphasizing: “We encouraged Timor-Leste to continue accelerating its institutional capacities and deepening engagement with all ASEAN Sectoral Bodies to carry out the obligations of ASEAN membership”.

“We further encouraged continued efforts by Timor-Leste to align its domestic policies, processes, and frameworks with ASEAN agreements and frameworks, in promoting a smooth and effective integration process”.

“We looked forward to Timor-Leste’s meaningful contribution to the implementation of the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, noting that Timor-Leste’s efforts towards ASEAN integration will help strengthen ASEAN’s resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability”.

The operationalization of the Timor-Leste Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat was also highlighted as a key step: “We welcomed the operationalisation of the Timor-Leste Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat, which will serve as a vital mechanism to facilitate Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN structures and processes and to support and monitor Timor-Leste’s full implementation of the Roadmap”.

ASEAN reiterated the importance of solidarity among Member States in supporting the Timorese accession process: “We encouraged continued engagement and support from ASEAN Member States to facilitate Timor-Leste’s transition towards ASEAN membership, as well as its continued efforts to fulfil the Roadmap following its admission to ASEAN”.

In terms of regional security, the organization expressed its support for Timor-Leste’s accession to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ): “We looked forward to the entry into force of the Addendum to the SEANWFZ Treaty and subsequent accession of Timor-Leste to the SEANWFZ Treaty by the 47th ASEAN Summit, which will further reinforce the region’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation”.

To ensure that the process was completed within the set deadlines, a call to action was made: “we underscored the need to expedite our respective internal legal procedures to facilitate Timor- Leste’s timely accession”

The Government of Timor-Leste welcomes the declaration by the ASEAN Member States and reaffirms its firm commitment to the principles and values of the organization, resolutely pursuing the fulfilment of all the requirements set out in the roadmap to full membership.