DILI, 09 august 2023 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, speaking at the Jakarta Post Democracy Forum in Indonesia, said that Timor-Leste ideally would join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025.
“I discussed with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão last week at our weekly meeting that ideally we would like to have Timor-Leste join ASEAN later in 2025,” Horta said during the Jakarta Post Democracy Forum, in Indonesia.
He said that ASEAN leaders have been very helpful and supportive of Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN: “We applied more than ten years ago. We are now working on the implementation of the roadmap.”
Horta emphasized that Timor-Leste will not postpone anything regarding ASEAN membership, saying that it is up to ASEAN leaders to decide when the country will officially become a full-fledged ASEAN member.
At the Labuan Bajo ASEAN Summit in early May, leaders approved the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s formal admission as the ASEAN 11th member.
In order to materialize Timor-Leste’s ambition to become a new member of ASEAN in 2025, Timor-Leste is now developing action plans that will provide the necessary structure and guidance to bring the roadmap approved by ASEAN leaders to effective implementation.
“Since the adoption of the roadmap in Labuan Bajo last May, we have been working to develop an action plan that the necessary structure and guidance to transform the roadmap into the relevant ministries and agencies’ annual action plans, budget, and capacity building required to bring the roadmap to effective implementation, including a monitoring mechanism to assess progress,” President Horta said.
The Head of State stressed that the roadmap is aligned with Timor-Leste’s National Strategic Development Plan, which sets out the country’s objectives, priorities, and action plan in various development sectors: “By aligning these two important frameworks, we will ensure that regional integration becomes an integral part of our national development objectives.”
He pointed out the ongoing work included drafting the action plan, updating the stock take – policy, law, and regulations that comply with ASEAN treaties and conventions, updating matrix – Technical Assistance from ASEAN Member States and Development Partners, developing monitoring and evaluation (E&E) system and database, participating in ASEAN meeting as an observer, establishing a mission to ASEAN in Jakarta and so on.
“An Ambassador to ASEAN will soon be appointed. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is coordinating with the relevant ministries (Socio-Cultural and Economic) to assign their officials to the mission,” Horta said.
Horta added Timor-Leste is firmly committed to undertaking institutional, policy, and regulatory reforms, enhancing human resource development, investing in strategic infrastructure that creates new opportunities for our economy and addresses common regional challenges in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect: “This would ensure that our membership benefits not only our country but the region as a whole.”
Timor-Leste began its bid for ASEAN membership in 2011, nine years after its independence in 2002.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
