DILI, 27 january 2025 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to take place in May 2025.
“Timor-Leste’s full membership of ASEAN is ‘a priority’ and should take place in May,” President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta told RFI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, on Friday.
Last week, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers expressed commitment to support Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN. The commitment was conveyed during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat), held on 19 January 2025 in Langkawi, Malaysia, where Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister, Bendito Freitas also attended as an Observer.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers welcomed Timor-Leste’s progress in implementing the roadmap for Timor-Leste’s full membership and expressed commitment to facilitate Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers recognized the progress made by Timor-Leste in implementing the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership, as well as welcomed the enhanced participation of Timor-Leste in ASEAN Meetings following the adoption of the revised Guidelines for the Implementation of the Observer Status Granted to Timor-Leste.
Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, said that Timor-Leste is expected to fulfill all the roadmap criteria of the accession process by April 2025.
She said that intense preparations are underway to ensure accession to the ASEAN agreements and legal instruments under the three pillars, as stipulated in the Roadmap.
So far, Timor-Leste has undertaken several key steps towards ASEAN accession, including nationwide advocacy campaigns and dialogues to amplify ASEAN awareness, participation in capacity-building and leadership programs, and strengthening bilateral relationships with all ASEAN Member States. Timor-Leste also has an extensive technical work program, to introduce ASEAN legal frameworks into its national policy development, ensuring alignment and integration of government policies and regulatory frameworks with ASEAN standards.
Minister Freitas, in an interview with Bernama TV, expressed Timor-Leste’s desire to officially join ASEAN under Malaysia’s Chairmanship.
Minister Freitas described 2025 as a pivotal year for Timor-Leste, calling it a “decisive and historic moment” for his country, Bernama reported. “Timor-Leste, I think, is small as we are, but we have our voices in diplomacy, in international relations, also combined with other member states of ASEAN, we can be one power, one voice together as ASEAN voice, reinforcing unity and centrality.”
Timor-Leste began its bid for ASEAN membership in 2011, nine years after its independence in 2002.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins