Dili: Timor-Leste's long-awaited entry into ASEAN marks a historic milestone for the nation of 1.4 million people after more than a decade of persistent efforts, said its Foreign Minister, Bendito dos Santos Freitas. He emphasized that ASEAN membership will provide Dili with a stronger voice in regional politics, diplomacy, and foreign affairs.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Bendito expressed gratitude to Malaysia, as the 2025 ASEAN Chair, and other member states for their support. He described the achievement as a 'victory for the people', symbolizing the culmination of the country's five-decade struggle for self-determination. Bendito stated, "It is very important. This is after 50 years for us -- where we struggled for our freedom. And this is not a gift, but truly a long journey to conquer."

Earlier today, Timor-Leste completed the necessary legal steps for admission as ASEAN's 11th member by depositing its Instruments of Accession to the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ). The nation will be formally welcomed as a full member with the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN during the opening of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) tomorrow.

The last country to join ASEAN before Timor-Leste was Cambodia, which became the 10th member on April 30, 1999. Timor-Leste gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 following a 1999 UN-supervised referendum and applied for ASEAN membership in 2011. In November 2022, ASEAN leaders agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste and granted it observer status along with a roadmap toward full membership.