Timor-Leste became the 11th member state to join the Association of South East Asian States (ASEAN) on October 26, 2025 at the 47th ASEAN Annual Summit held in Kuala Lumpur.[1] This was the first new addition to ASEAN since the entry of Cambodia in 1999.[2] Timor-Leste, the least developed country in South East Asia (SEA), had been seeking ASEAN membership for a long time. Timor-Leste’s entry into ASEAN is also a positive development for multilateralism. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on the occasion that, “We, the ASEAN Community fraternity, rejoice with the ascension of Timor-Leste as the 11th member of our great ASEAN Community. And, of course, on behalf of all my colleagues, we can assure you, we will consider you as a real, functional, effective partner. We understand your tribulations, we understand your hope and aspirations, and let us join and build this ASEAN together.”[3]
