Timor-Leste officially admitted to Asean, becoming its 11th member amid calls to strengthen unity

KUALA LUMPUR – For the first time in 26 years, Asean has expanded its ranks, with Timor-Leste officially admitted as the grouping’s 11th member on Oct 26.

The announcement came as regional leaders convened for the

47th Asean Summit

and related meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, hosted under Malaysia’s current chairmanship.

Timor-Leste’s admission was made official after the summit’s opening ceremony, marking a milestone for both the island nation of 1.3 million people, and Asean, at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics and persistent global economic uncertainty.

Timor-Leste is the first country to join the grouping since Cambodia’s admission in 1999. Its admission was formalised on Oct 26, as Asean leaders endorsed the country’s entry as one of the first items on the summit agenda following the opening ceremony.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao joined the 10 Asean leaders for the signing of documents confirming the nation’s long-awaited entry, officially sealing its place as the grouping’s 11th member. The leaders later posed for photographs and interlocked arms in the traditional Asean gesture of unity.

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that Timor-Leste’s entry was a “historic milestone” that was the result of years of patient engagement and thoughtful deliberation.

“While there is much work ahead, Singapore will do our part to support Timor-Leste’s integration, so that we can all benefit from a stronger, more united Asean,” he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim congratulated Timor-Leste and said that its place in the group “completes the Asean family”.

Mr Gusmao said the country’s accession to Asean was a testament to the spirit of its people and their commitment to democracy. Joining the grouping, he said, marked the start of a new era of collaboration and growth within one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

“Timor-Leste joins with humility and with pride, fully embracing core values of Asean – mutual respect, peaceful cooperation, unity in diversity and regional solidarity,” he said.

Mr Gusmao noted that Timor-Leste’s participation in Asean was a natural affiliation, rooted in the country’s culture, geography and its strategic priorities for the future. This, he said, was not the end of a journey but the beginning of a new chapter – one aimed at advancing Asean’s vision of a peaceful, prosperous, resilient and people-centred community.

The nation, which gained independence in 2002 after decades of conflict and foreign occupation, now joins a community that began as a five-member association in 1967 and today represents more than 700 million people across South-east Asia.

Timor-Leste applied for membership in 2011 and received in-principle approval in 2022, following years of institutional strengthening and capacity-building efforts to meet Asean’s political, economic and administrative requirements.

Observers say the expansion underscores Asean’s commitment to openness and regional cohesion, even as questions persist over its ability to maintain unity and relevance amid intensifying competition among major powers.

Timor-Leste delegates cheered the moment the young nation was accepted into the grouping.

Shedding a tear, Ms Francisca Maia, an official, said she had been waiting for the moment for too long.

“As a Timorese, I feel honoured to be present at the event.” she told reporters.

She was not alone. In the media centre at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, reporters from the island nation were seen wiping away tears as their flag was raised alongside those of the other member states.

Strengthening Asean unity

At the meetings on Oct 26, there was much talk about the grouping’s unity and resilience amid geopolitical uncertainties.

Said Malaysia’s Mr Anwar at the opening of the Asean Summit: “2025 is a year that asks more of us. The world feels unsettled – the old order no longer certain, the new one not yet defined.”

Across regions, there is rising contestation and uncertainty that challenge the region’s resolve to keep faith in cooperation, but amid these trials, Asean endures, he said. The group’s strength lies not in uniformity but “the conviction that respect and reason still bind us together”, he added.  

The relative peace and prosperity that Asean has enjoyed for nearly six decades are not self-sustaining, he said, but must be renewed through cooperation and strengthened by shared purpose.

“This is why Asean is deepening economic linkages, widening trade and enhancing competitiveness,” he added.

Similarly, PM Wong noted that Asean leaders discussed ways to strengthen the region’s unity and resilience, such as by expanding intra-Asean trade and seizing new opportunities in the digital and green economies.

Regional cooperation also extends to security, and PM Wong said Asean is committed to strengthening its collective fight against transnational crime, particularly online scams.

“With the inclusion of Timor-Leste and our commitment to deeper integration, Asean is sending a clear signal – we are united and determined to build a more prosperous and secure future for all our people,” he said.

In his speech at the Asean Summit, PM Wong said that while the grouping has made progress, there is still much more it has to do to secure Asean’s future in this “uncertain world”.

He outlined three priorities. The first is to deepen Asean integration, noting that while the Asean Free Trade Area is “virtually tariff-free”, members should endeavour to bring tariffs down to zero.

Beyond tariffs, he said, businesses still face a complex operating environment, and the group must reduce non-tariff barriers, standardise regulations and make it easier for companies to tap intra-Asean supply chains.

He also urged Asean to ride on new growth areas such as the green and digital economies by linking up payment systems, capitalising on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa) and realising the Asean Power Grid.

The second priority, he said, is to forge new partnerships, pointing to growing interest from Canada, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The grouping could also build new links with regions such as Africa and Latin America to keep trade and investment flowing despite rising global barriers.

Third, he called for Asean to strengthen its resilience against emerging threats by raising public vigilance against cybercrime and online scams, and tackling public-health issues posed by e-cigarettes and vaping products, which now “move freely” across South-east Asia.

“All in all, an Asean that is integrated, successful and resilient will have greater credibility and cache with our external partners,” he said.

Asean leaders will hold a series of meetings with external partners until Oct 28, with discussions expected to range from the United States-China trade tensions to Myanmar.

They will be attending two large-group meetings on Oct 27: the 28th Asean Plus Three Summit with their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea; and the 20th East Asia Summit, which includes Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US.