KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officially granted full membership to Timor-Leste on Sunday, making it the 11th member after 14 years of deliberation.
This announcement came at the opening of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia from October 26 to 28, held under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability".
In his opening speech to the summit, Xanana Gusmao -- the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste -- expressed gratitude to ASEAN, describing the decision as historic.
He noted that Timor-Leste submitted its membership request in 2011 and has since work to develop its institutions and policies to align with ASEAN's ethos.
He affirmed that joining the ASEAN marks a new stage of cooperation and development in this part of the world.
For his part, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the summit that Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN presents a new vision for deeper regional cooperation.
He asserted that ASEAN would provide the new member with generous support, aiding the country's development and strategic independence with the ASEAN 2045 Vision for the region.
For his part, ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn said that Timor-Leste's membership in the association would amplify its voice in the international arena and strengthen its strategic interests through a solid network of diplomatic and economic support.
He revealed that this marks the first expansion for ASEAN since the late 1990s, adding that such a development reflects the association's resilience as a regional bloc despite numerous challenges.
Timor-Leste is the poorest country in Southeast Asia, with a population of 1.4 million people. It gained independence from neighboring Indonesia in 2002 following a UN-supervised referendum in 1999.
Timor-Leste submitted a request for ASEAN membership in 2011 and was accepted as an observer in 2022.
The ASEAN was established in 1967 and now includes 11 members; Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. (end) aab.gta