East Timor becomes 11 th Member of ASEAN

• East Timor (The country officially called Timor-Leste) is the 11 th member to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This declaration was done during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur at which the flag of the country was hoisted with the flags of its neighbors.

A Long-Awaited Milestone

• It took East Timor 14 years to finally seek admission to ASEAN as a member in 2011. Its membership is a significant success of President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, both the leaders in the fight of independence in the country. The fact that East Timor is one of the smallest economies in Asia with a GDP of approximately $2 billion and the fact that East Timor was included indicates the desire of ASEAN to work together and remain inclusive in the whole Southeast Asian region.

Economic and Regional Environment.

• Prime minister Gusmão said the membership marked an opportunity to begin a new dawn of trade, investment and collaboration. To the citizens of East Timor, 1.4 million people, ASEAN membership will enable access to regional markets, investment inflow and development strategies that target infrastructural, educational and energy development.

Historical Context

• Previously the colony of Portugal, East Timor had proclaimed independence in 1975 but was immediately occupied by Indonesia. It received complete sovereignty in 2002 after a referendum under the supervision of the UN. President Ramos-Horta, who is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, has been a staunch supporter of ASEAN membership as a means of achieving peace and development.

Exam Facts

• In 2002, East Timor (Timor-Leste) was made independent.
• Joined ASEAN in October 2025 as the 11 th member.
• In 1996, President Jose Ramos-Horta received a Nobel Peace Prize.
• In 1967, ASEAN was established and it has 11 members.

Future Role in ASEAN

• East Timor intends to help in the dialogue and peace building in the region. The leadership of this country thinks that with its experience of settling conflicts the ASEAN unity will be enhanced and also its ability to handle the challenges in the region such as the tension in the south china sea.