Kuala Lumpur, Oct 26 (NationPress) Timor-Leste has officially joined as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday.

Timor-Leste submitted its application for ASEAN membership back in 2011. In 2022, the leaders of ASEAN reached a preliminary agreement to accept Timor-Leste as a member state, granting it Observer Status in ASEAN meetings. This was followed by the adoption of the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in 2023, which facilitated its preparations to fulfill ASEAN’s membership criteria, including adherence to ASEAN legal instruments and engagement in meetings across all three pillars of the ASEAN Community.

In an official statement, ASEAN remarked, "On this historic occasion for the region, the Signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN occurred during the Opening Ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, held on 26 October 2025. This Declaration was signed by ASEAN Leaders, alongside the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, symbolizing the ASEAN Leaders’ agreement to welcome Timor-Leste as the 11th Member State of ASEAN. This milestone is the culmination of years of collaborative efforts between ASEAN and Timor-Leste."

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao of Timor-Leste was present with the ASEAN leaders for the signing of the agreements that confirmed the nation’s inclusion in the organization. The leaders then gathered for a group photograph. This marks the first expansion of the bloc since 1999.

ASEAN was established in Bangkok, Thailand in 1967, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999.

As the current Chair of ASEAN, Malaysia is hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability” in Kuala Lumpur from October 26-28.

These Summits include the ASEAN Summit, ASEAN Plus One Summits with seven Dialogue Partners, namely, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the US, along with the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, East Asia Summit, ASEAN-United Nations Summit, and the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit to celebrate 50 years of dialogue relations. Malaysia will also host the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit and the 3rd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders Meeting alongside the Summits.