Timor-Leste confident of gaining full ASEAN membership by October

Malaysian Reserve

26-05-2025

by HIDAYATH HISHAM & FARAH SOLHI
TIMOR-LESTE is optimistic about becoming a full member of ASEAN by October this year, according to Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao (picture).
Its Minister of Foreign Affairs Bendito Dos Santos Freitas also expressed confidence that the country will meet all requirements during Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN this year.'Yes, I do believe. We are doing our best to meet the necessary requirements,' he told the media at the 46th ASEAN Summit today.
He said the country is working hard to fulfil all the criteria laid out by the regional bloc.
'What the ASEAN foreign ministers have conveyed is that as long as we fulfil part of the criteria, we can become an ASEAN member. We are completing the remaining criteria step by step,' he said.
First applying to join ASEAN back in 2011, the bloc granted it observer status and accepted its membership in principle during the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Phnom Penh in November 2022.
During a press conference yesterday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia supports Timor-Leste's admission into ASEAN and has proposed a phased timeline to allow the country
to meet all entry conditions.
'We are doing our best to facilitate Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN because the majority of member countries want it to be part of the bloc's big family,' he said.
Mohamad added that a Timor-Leste Unit has been established to assist the country in fulfilling its roadmap, which supports its integration into the bloc.
'The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting will continue discussions on the guidelines under the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting,' he said.
As part of ongoing efforts, the establishment of a dedicated task force on Timor-Leste has also been proposed.