DILI, 30 June 2026 (TATOLI) — Timor-Leste’s National Parliament on Monday approved two government resolutions aimed at advancing the country’s integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), reinforcing the implementation of the rights and obligations arising from its status as the bloc’s 11th member.
The parliamentary session was attended by Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Maria da Costa Rangel and Vice Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Adérito Hugo da Costa.
The two resolutions were previously endorsed by the Council of Ministers during meetings held on February 20 and June 3 before being submitted to parliament for approval.
The first resolution approves amendments to the Schedule of Commitments annexed to the ASEAN Agreement on the Movement of Natural Persons (MNP).
According to the government, the changes are solely technical and reflect the adoption of a harmonized format applicable to all ASEAN member states, without altering the substance or scope of Timor-Leste’s commitments.
Addressing lawmakers during the plenary session, Rangel said the agreement was updated to conform to a standardized ASEAN format after Timor-Leste concluded its accession negotiations, making a new ratification necessary to ensure the document complied with the bloc’s common template.
She also clarified that the Movement of Natural Persons Agreement applies exclusively to the temporary mobility of qualified professionals among ASEAN member states and does not affect Timor-Leste’s domestic immigration or labor laws, which remain fully in force.
Parliament also ratified the Cebu Protocol amending the ASEAN Charter, adopted during the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026.
The protocol formally updates the ASEAN Charter to reflect Timor-Leste’s admission as the organization’s 11th member state and revises the official list of member states, as well as the bloc’s flag and emblem.
Rangel said the amendment was necessary because the current ASEAN Charter still refers to only 10 member states. She added that the ratification completes the legal updates required following Timor-Leste’s accession, with formal endorsement by ASEAN heads of state and government expected at the next ASEAN Summit in Manila from November 11 to 13, 2026.
Timor-Leste officially became ASEAN’s 11th member on October 26, 2025. Since then, the government has introduced a series of legislative, institutional and technical measures to ensure the country’s full integration into the organization’s mechanisms.
The approval of the two resolutions marks another milestone in that process, ensuring that ASEAN’s legal framework accurately reflects its expanded membership while supporting the full implementation of Timor-Leste’s rights and obligations as a member of the regional bloc.
TATOLI
