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Probably the most notable event at the recent meeting of ASEAN was the entry of Timor Leste, making it the 11th member of the bloc, and marking a long-awaited milestone in its difficult history.
Timor-Leste’s journey to ASEAN membership is set against a backdrop of colonialism, conflict and independence. The territory was a Portuguese colony for centuries until Lisbon’s abrupt withdrawal in 1975, which was followed by a violent Indonesian annexation and decades of brutal occupation.
After a UN-supervised referendum in 1999 , Timor-Leste achieved full sovereignty in 2002. From the outset, its leaders – including Nobel laureate José Ramos‑Horta – viewed regional integration as key to the country’s future security and economic stability, advocating ASEAN membership even during the protracted struggle for independence.
Timor-Leste formally applied for ASEAN membership back in 2011, having undertaken institutional reforms and capacity-building in order to meet ASEAN’s membership requirements. In November 2022, ASEAN finally agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste and granted it observer status.
There has been caution on both sides in the intervening years : ASEAN nations concerned that Timor-Leste lacked the bureaucratic and financial clout to be an effective member.
That was a concern shared by Dili, with Timor-Leste still struggling with infrastructure and connectivity issues which already put strain on its tiny economy.
However at the recent 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, the formal accession was sealed with Timor-Leste’s flag added alongside those of the existing ten members. Leaders hailed the move as “completing the ASEAN family” and reaffirming the regional solidarity that is at the centre of the ASEAN concept.
The Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão described the moment as a “dream realised” and a powerful affirmation of the country’s journey.
On the ASEAN side, Chair Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Timor-Leste’s admission “reaffirms our shared destiny and deep sense of regional kinship.”
For Timor-Leste, accession opens the door to a regional market of more than 650 million people and gives entry to ASEAN’s trade and investment frameworks – a key opportunity given its economy’s heavy dependence on dwindling oil and gas revenues and the need to diversify.
But Timor-Leste still comes in as a entry-level member with a GDP of around US$2 billion compared with the bloc’s combined GDP of roughly US$3.8 trillion. Institutional, human-resource, governance and infrastructure shortfalls will need some attention if Timor is to gain the full benefit from ASEAN membership.
On the ASEAN side, the expansion signals a renewed emphasis on inclusivity and regional cohesion amid geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific. The admission of Timor-Leste is the bloc’s first enlargement since Cambodia joined in 1999.
Membership is not the end of the journey for Timor-Leste but rather a new phase. Its government has pledged to be a “constructive, peaceful and devoted” partner in the region and emphasised governance reforms, economic liberalisation and institutional strengthening as priorities.
For ASEAN, much now depends on how effectively the bloc can support Timor-Leste’s integration while working to maintain its own cohesion and effectiveness amid a rapidly shifting global environment, and in a region with significant issues.
Image : (L-R) Timorese Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Frietas , Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohammad Hasan, ASEAN Sec-Gen Kao Kim Hourn at the official ceremony
Asia Media Centre
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