DILI, 27 February 2025 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, Jose Ramos Horta, on Wednesday, joined a high-profile panel discussion at the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum alongside the Prime Ministers of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chinh, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, and New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon.
The session, which included a moderated Q&A, centered on strategic self-reliance, resilience, and strengthening regional partnerships in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister emphasized that economic growth forms the foundation of self-reliance, while highlighting identity and cultural preservation as core strengths of nations.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim focused on digitalization and semiconductor development, noting significant investments from Germany, the US, and China, while also acknowledging Vietnam’s excellence in high-end agriculture and artificial intelligence. Both leaders stressed the importance of technical training and collaborative approaches within ASEAN, with PM Ibrahim pointing out that the regional bloc—soon to include Timor-Leste—represents a collective force of over 700 million people.
In a lighter moment, Prime Minister Ibrahim recalled an anecdote about President Ramos Horta persistently inquiring about former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s wellbeing.
“When asked about his previous statement that “getting into heaven is much harder than ASEAN,” President Horta reflected on his experiences with ASEAN dating back to 1974, describing how his first visit to Jakarta, when he stayed in modest accommodations with only two major hotels in the city, contrasted dramatically with today’s vibrant ASEAN economies,” said in a statement.
Horta shared his conversation with Singapore’s Prime Minister from two decades ago, who advised that Timor-Leste should focus on human resource development before ASEAN membership.
Concluding his intervention, Horta humorously noted that given the extensive paperwork required for ASEAN membership, perhaps entering heaven might indeed be easier.
TATOLI
