East Timor officially admitted as ASEAN’s 11th member

East Timor was formally admitted on Sunday as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), marking the bloc’s first expansion since the 1990s.

The accession of the region’s youngest and least developed nation, with a population of approximately 1.4 million, is widely regarded as a significant milestone for regional inclusivity and unity.

East Timor, officially known as Timor-Leste, had been a Portuguese colony for more than four centuries before it was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 and gained full independence in 2002.

After a 14-year campaign for membership, East Timor’s entry into ASEAN grants it access to the bloc’s network of free trade agreements, investment opportunities, and a wider regional market.

Oil and gas revenues

These are expected to play a vital role in helping the country diversify its economy, which has long depended heavily on oil and gas revenues.

“Its (East Timor’s) place here completes the ASEAN family — reaffirming our shared destiny and deep sense of regional kinship,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during the formal admission ceremony.

The inclusion of East Timor underscores ASEAN’s commitment to regional integration and cooperation, as the organisation seeks to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties among Southeast Asian nations.