Timor-Leste and Asean: Partnership, unity and global engagement

New Straits Times

3 hours ago

TIMOR-LESTE'S journey to peace and sovereignty has been long and difficult, but it has always been grounded in a clear vision: to be an active, constructive member of the international and regional community.
Our pursuit of full Asean membership is a deliberate choice rooted in respect, responsibility, and a desire to contribute to southeast Asia's peace, prosperity and unity.
Timor-Leste honours Asean and the values it represents. Our application to join is not symbolic: it is a statement of intent. We seek to belong and to contribute.
Asean embodies diversity governed by dialogue and consensus. These are principles that align deeply with our current trajectory of democratic consolidation.
Asean's strength lies in its centrality — its ability to provide a stable, inclusive platform for regional and global diplomacy.
Timor-Leste fully accepts the responsibilities of membership, to internalise Asean norms, and to participate in its mechanisms, such as the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, current Asean chair and a global leader, secured the unanimous endorsement of all regional and extra-regional leaders for Timor-Leste Asean membership. We are indebted.
President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia reinforced his support during the recent Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur. We acknowledge and appreciate the support of all member states, which provides us with the confidence to complete our preparations for Asean integration.
Beyond Asean, Timor-Leste envisions a bridging role to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). As a nation vulnerable to climate change, we share common cause with Pacific Island nations.
We will work to connect Asean's climate and sustainability goals with those of the Pacific, especially in forums like the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC), which fosters regional cooperation on clean energy, decarbonisation and environmental stewardship.
In doing so, Timor-Leste can help promote the ecological resilience of two overlapping regions facing shared existential challenges.
We recognise that membership requires more than political will. Asean's working language is English, and Timor-Leste is committed to strengthening English-language proficiency among our diplomats and civil servants. While Tetum and Portuguese remain central to our identity, the practical tools of diplomacy demand regional alignment.
We will focus on building our institutional capacity through training in Asean-based learning centres — particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
This ensures that our integration is not only symbolic but operational, allowing us to contribute substantively to Asean discussions and negotiations.
Though we maintain close historical ties with Portugal and Lusophone countries, Timor-Leste is actively localising its governance and policy frameworks to reflect Asean's institutional models. This includes harmonising our legal codes, trade procedures and diplomatic practices.
We do not see this as the loss of identity but as a regional adaptation to ensure compatibility, trust and coherence within Asean's evolving political and economic ecosystem.
Timor-Leste's membership should serve as an encouraging example for other countries on Asean's periphery. Papua New Guinea (PNG), a significant state in the Pacific, has long expressed interest in Asean.
President Prabowo's mention of PNG as a potential future member reflects a growing consensus that Asean can expand strategically and inclusively.
Timor-Leste is prepared to assist PNG in navigating the necessary political and economic adjustments and sharing our lessons and journey through Asean's rigorous pathways to accession.
As we prepare for full membership, we reaffirm our commitment to engaging Asean's dialogue partners constructively and neutrally. Timor-Leste will work closely with the United States, India, China, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom, Russia and New Zealand.
These relationships must remain balanced and mutually reinforcing. We aim to contribute to regional security and economic growth without becoming an arena for major power competition.
We are mindful of the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, and although not yet a member, Timor-Leste will align with Asean's collective position in advocating peaceful resolution through pro active, inclusive dialogue.
This milestone will not mark the end of our journey, but the beginning of a deeper phase of regional integration. Our small nation brings with it a powerful story of resilience, unity and reconciliation.
We do not claim to have all the answers, but we offer the sincerity, commitment and determination that Asean needs in an increasingly volatile world.
Timor-Leste is prepared to serve Asean's ideals and contribute to its future. We will defend its centrality, uphold its consensus-driven diplomacy, and extend its principles into the wider Pacific.