Thousands of people gathered on Wednesday, October 29th, at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport and along the route to the Presidential Palace to welcome the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão upon their arrival in the country, following the formalization of Timor-Leste’s full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 
The atmosphere of popular celebration began early in the morning with the arrival of the Head of State and continued into the afternoon with the return of the Head of Government. Both were officially welcomed by the Vice-Prime-Minister and Minister for Social Affairs, Mariano Assanami Sabino, by members of the Government, the National Parliament, and by diplomatic representatives of ASEAN countries accredited in Timor-Leste.
After the formal ceremonies at the airport, motorcades carrying the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister traveled through the streets of Dili to the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, accompanied by spontaneous demonstrations of joy from the population. Young people, students, civil servants, and entire families took to the streets with national and ASEAN flags, expressing their collective pride in this historic milestone.
At press conference, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão emphasized that Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN represents “a great opportunity,” but also “a great responsibility—to ourselves, to ASEAN countries, and above all, to the Timorese people.”
“All of us, especially young people. Now is the time to prepare, because in the future you will reap the benefits. But you can’t just wait for the benefits, you have to work, learn, and open your mind. We have to change our character and our mindset,” he said.
“I have often said, especially to young people, don’t just ask the State what the State can give you, ask instead what you can give to this country and its people. You need to increase your knowledge, deepen it, so that you are better prepared. The time will come when you will be the ones to lead Timor-Leste down a truly promising path,” he added.
Xanana Gusmão emphasized that joining ASEAN “is not the end, but the beginning of a new phase,” noting that regional integration will require redoubled efforts in several areas, such as education, agriculture, health, combating cybercrime, and promoting a modern and sustainable economy.
The President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, expressed his delight at the “resounding success” of the accession and attributed this historic achievement to the determination and leadership of the Prime Minister. “All credit goes to Prime Minister Xanana, who, with incredible determination, has led the country to where we are today—a member of ASEAN. Now we must work hard to ensure that ASEAN is satisfied with Timor-Leste’s development,” he said.
The arrival of the Head of State and Head of Government marked the symbolic end of a 14-year period of negotiations and the beginning of a new cycle of regional cooperation and integration. Timor-Leste’s full membership of ASEAN reinforces the country’s commitment to the values of peace, stability, cooperation, and shared development among the nations of Southeast Asia.