East Timor becomes ASEAN’s 11th member

Asia’s youngest nation East Timor became the 11th member of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN, fulfilling a vision set out by its current president nearly a half-century ago while under Portuguese rule.
Also known as Timor-Leste, the country of 1.4 million people is among Asia’s poorest and hopes to see gains from integrating its fledgling economy, which at about $2 billion represents only a tiny fraction of ASEAN’s collective $3.8 trillion gross domestic product. East Timor’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations follows a 14-year wait and though its membership is not expected to be transformative, it represents a symbolic victory for its President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the heroes of its struggle for independence. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan hailed the occasion as a “historic moment” that completes ASEAN’s vision of encompassing all sovereign states in Southeast Asia.The accession marks ASEAN’s first expansion in over two decades, with Cambodia being the last country to join in 1999. Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, first applied for ASEAN membership in 2011 and was granted observer status in 2022. Its joining was formalised by ASEAN leaders at the opening of their annual summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, October 26,2025 where applause rang out as East Timor’s flag was placed on the stage.