Prime Minister Addresses ASEAN Headquarters in His First Official Visit Since Timor-Leste's Full Membership
On December 11th, 2025, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão delivered a speech at ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta, where he stated that Timor-Leste's accession to the regional organisation represents “the realization of a long-held dream” and “a strong affirmation of our journey as a nation,” emphasising that it was “a decisive moment that led us to look away from our difficult past, to look outward and recognise that we are part of a larger whole.” 
The session was opened by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, who welcomed the Prime Minister and said that “this visit is particularly significant at a time when we are working together to ensure the full and harmonious integration of Timor-Leste into the ASEAN Community.” 
Kao Kim Hourn recalled the “decisive role [of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão] in shaping the contemporary history of Timor-Leste,” referring to his career “as leader of the Timorese Resistance,” who “guided his people through one of the most challenging periods in national history,” as well as his contribution, “after independence,” as “first elected President” and later as Prime Minister, “leading efforts to consolidate peace and stability, strengthen national unity, and lay the foundations for democratic governance.” The Secretary-General also highlighted that “Xanana Gusmão’s leadership was central to Timor-Leste’s transformation from a context of conflict to a reality of peace, stability, and development. He also underscored his role as “the driving force behind some of Timor-Leste’s most decisive national initiatives, including the 2011–2030 Strategic Development Plan and the historic negotiations on maritime boundaries under UNCLOS.” 
In his speech, entitled “Responsibility and Opportunity: Timor-Leste in ASEAN,” Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão stressed that membership involves clear responsibilities, stating that Timor-Leste takes on "the responsibility to respect and adopt the core values of the organisation," such as “peaceful cooperation; respect for sovereignty; unity in diversity; regional solidarity; collective responsibility for enhancing regional peace; good governance; and the principles of democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights, and ASEAN centrality." The Prime Minister also highlighted that “these ideals are not abstract,” but “reflect our lived experience as a country—of struggle, reconciliation, and state-building.” 
The Head of the Government stated that he is leading a process of “reforms that must be made to ensure our full integration into ASEAN,” emphasising that participation in the regional organisation is based on a comprehensive approach by the Executive. “Participation in ASEAN structures and meetings is not an expense; it is an investment in our country’s and our region’s future”, he said, adding that the Government is “working with the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Member States to fulfil all post-accession commitments and join ASEAN’s economic agreements”. 
The Prime Minister also highlighted the opportunities that come with regional integration, stating that membership of ASEAN places Timor-Leste in a “dynamic and innovative regional community of more than 670 million people”, allowing it to “provide great opportunities for our people by supporting investment, development, and job creation.” He also mentioned the central role of Timorese youth, noting that “more than 60% of the population is under 30” and that “their future will increasingly be shaped by ASEAN's vast regional network of education, labour, and innovation.” 
On the same day, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão met with the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the organisation. The meeting emphasised Timor-Leste's role and commitment to efforts to build and integrate the ASEAN Community, with the Secretary-General reiterating the Secretariat's ongoing support for the country's full integration process as the 11th Member State. 
The Prime Minister's visit to ASEAN headquarters is a historic milestone, as it is the first visit by a Timorese Head of Government to the ASEAN Secretariat since Timor-Leste's full accession to the organisation, marking the beginning of the country's effective participation as a Member State and reflecting its strategic choice for regional integration based on dialogue, cooperation, and active contribution to regional peace, stability, and development. 
