In a historic occasion for the region, the Signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN took place at the Opening Ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, held on 26 October 2025. The Declaration was signed by ASEAN Leaders together with the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, marking the ASEAN Leaders’ consent to accept Timor-Leste as the 11th Member State of ASEAN. This achievement is the result of years of close cooperation between ASEAN and Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste offi cially applied for ASEAN membership in 2011. In 2022, ASEAN Leaders agreed in principle to admit 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 guided its preparations to meet ASEAN’s membership criteria, including accession to ASEAN legal instruments and participation in meetings across all three ASEAN Community pillars. The ceremony represents the culmination of this dedicated journey and ASEAN’s collective support in welcoming Timor- Leste into the ASEAN family.
Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão expressed full commitment to the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. “We pledge to work with all Member States to keep our region peaceful, open, and prosperous, and to be part of efforts to build resilience, deepen unity, and ensure that no one is left behind,” said the Timor- Leste Prime Minister.
On 11 December 2025, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, together with the Committee of the Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), held an Interface with Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ ASEAN Secretariat. The Interface underscored Timor-Leste’s instrumental role and unwavering commitment to the ASEAN Community-building and integration efforts. Secretary-General Dr. Kao reaffi rmed the ASEAN Secretariat’s continued support to Timor-Leste in its full integration into ASEAN.
Republished (with additional content) from: ASEAN. (2025, October 26). Forging a new era: Timor-Leste admitted into ASEAN. https://asean.org/forging-a-new-era-timor-leste-admitted-into-asean/
