Government of Timor-Leste

Today, November 11th, 2025, the National Parliament unanimously ratified Draft Resolution No. 48/VI, which approves the Declaration on the Accession of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), formalizing the country's full integration as the 11th Member State of the regional organization. The plenary session was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Deputy Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel. 

The ratification follows the signing of the Declaration of Admission on October 26th, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the 47th ASEAN Summit, where Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão signed the document together with the Heads of State and Government of the organization’s country members. 

The Declaration symbolizes the political and legal recognition of Timor-Leste's integration into ASEAN and represents, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, “a decisive, historic and indispensable step towards the full integration of Timor-Leste into ASEAN”.

With the approval of this resolution, “one of our people’s noblest aspirations has been legally realized, cementing Timor-Leste’s role and commitment to the principles, values and objectives that govern ASEAN — peace, stability, shared prosperity and mutual respect among the nations of the region,” said the Minister.

Under the Constitution, it is the responsibility of the National Parliament to approve the accession and ratification of international treaties and agreements. Thus, the resolution approved today by Parliament, following the proposal submitted by the Government, complies with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic, completing the legal process of accession. 

Minister Bendito Freitas expressed his “deepest gratitude and appreciation to the National Parliament for the unequivocal, responsible and patriotic support it has shown throughout this process,” with particular mention to Committee B “for its tireless dedication, technical rigor and spirit of institutional cooperation, which have resulted in valuable contributions during the various debates.”

The adoption of the resolution marks the culmination of more than two decades of national commitment and reaffirms the sovereign will of the Timorese people to actively participate in building a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

Recalling the Prime Minister's words, Minister Bendito Freitas reaffirmed that “this accession not only represents the realization of a collective dream, but also the validation of a long historical journey marked by the courage, resilience, determination and unshakeable faith of the Timorese people.”

The Declaration represents the political acceptance by ASEAN Member States of the inclusion of Timor-Leste as a full Member State, in accordance with Article 6(4) of the ASEAN Charter, constituting an essential step towards the full integration of Timor-Leste into the organization’s mechanisms and structures. END