DILI, 14 March 2025 (TATOLI) – The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MoFAC), has officially launched the nationwide campaign of Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession. The campaign is supported by European Union.
The Nationwide Campaign on ASEAN aimed to raise awareness among the Timorese people about the importance of Timor-Leste’s accession to the bloc, which is expected to occur later this year.
The launching ceremony of the nationwide campaign of Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession was symbolically unveiled by ribbon-cutting of an ASEAN-branded bus, led by Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay accompanied by Minister Bendito Freitas and Vice Minister Milena Rangel as well as Ambassador Marc Fiedrich.
Minister Lay reaffirmed the country’s commitment to ASEAN and its aspirations to accede to ASEAN as its eleventh member: “Today’s launching demonstrates our unwavering dedication to becoming a full member of ASEAN. This nationwide campaign will ensure that every Timorese citizen understands the significance and benefits of ASEAN membership for our nation’s future.”
Meanwhile, Minister Freitas said that: “This Nationwide ASEAN Awareness Campaign is both timely and crucial as we move forward in our final preparations for ASEAN accession. Through this initiative, we aim to: Enhance public understanding of ASEAN, its objectives, and its benefits; Highlight economic opportunities, cultural exchanges, and regional cooperation within the ASEAN framework; Ensure that all citizens are aware of the responsibilities, challenges, and advantages of ASEAN membership; To achieve this, we will implement a comprehensive public awareness campaign across various platforms, including television, radio, social media, and print media,” said Minister Freitas in his opening remarks.”
He said that the campaign is a testament to Timor-Leste’s unwavering commitment to regional integration, cooperation, and collective prosperity: “However, for ASEAN membership to be truly meaningful, it must be understood and embraced by every citizen.”
Freitas, therefore, said that direct interactions with communities are critical to ensuring that ASEAN awareness reaches grassroots levels: “These efforts have provided platforms for open dialogue, enabling the people of Timor-Leste to ask questions, express concerns, and share their perspectives on ASEAN membership. The insights gathered from these interactions are invaluable in shaping our policies and institutional reforms, ensuring that we meet the accession criteria outlined in the roadmap.”
Since the adoption of the ASEAN Roadmap for Accession, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has been actively engaging various stakeholders through nationwide public outreach programs. These initiatives have included: Workshops and consultations with municipal authorities, universities, the private sector, civil society, and government officials at both national and local levels.
The Ambassador of the EU to Timor-Leste, Marc Fiedrich, who also spoke at the event, said that the campaign will allow the Timorese public to engage with and better understand ASEAN.
He said that the campaign would contribute to making the conversation about ASEAN among the Timorese communities wider.
Fiedrich recalled that the EU, together with the International Trade Centre, has been able to help support Timor-Leste’s efforts to ensure that all parts of the government understand and play their part in the accession process.
Moreover, the Ambassador of Malaysia to Timor-Leste, Amarjit Sarjit Singh, who also attended the ceremony, seconded the inclusive approach of the campaign, stating that the ASEAN accession process should reach and inform the grassroots level: ‘This is aligned with the current Malaysia chairmanship theme “inclusivity and sustainability.”
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
