A final decision on Timor-Leste’s full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected in May, reports the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste announced that the vote will likely be held at a summit in May, saying he expected unanimous agreement from the member states. Ramos-Horta made the comments to journalists at Dili International Airport after returning from an overseas trip to Vietnam for the ASEAN Future Forum, where he was a featured guest alongside the prime ministers of Vietnam, New Zealand and Malaysia.
At the forum, Ramos-Horta met with Malaysian prime minister and current chair of ASEAN, Anwar Ibrahim, and ASEAN secretary-general Kao Him Hourn, to discuss his country’s membership in the organisation.
According to Ramos-Horta, everything is in place for Timor-Leste to officially join, describing the roadmap as “about 80-percent complete,” which is “more than sufficient.” He told the press: “Timor-Leste is ready for ASEAN.”
[See more: Timor-Leste revs up spending in spite of World Bank calls for restraint]
Malaysian foreign minister Mohamad Hasan largely echoed the Timorese president, noting that many of the 69 economic instruments necessary to achieve full membership are no longer relevant and that negotiations are underway to remove them so that Timor-Leste “does not have to meet redundant demands.” Malaysia has lobbied repeatedly to expedite the membership process for Timor-Leste, pushing on Monday to give the young nation 5 to 6 years after membership to complete all of its requirements.
Hasan expressed confidence in Malaysia’s efforts, saying that there is a “strong possibility” that Timor-Leste will become a full member of ASEAN by the end of 2025. Timor-Leste first applied for membership in 2011, less than a decade after declaring independence. After member states reached a preliminary agreement in November 2022, Dili received observer status and was allowed to participate in meetings.
Formed in 1967, ASEAN is a political and economic union of 10 Southeast Asian countries, including founding members Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Brunei joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999).
Together, ASEAN represents a regional market of around 700 million people with a GDP of US$4 billion. Timor-Leste could be a bridge into this market for the Portuguese-speaking countries, Ramos-Horta explained during a 2024 visit to Angola.
