Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said the country’s long journey from conflict to stability gives it a unique perspective that can contribute to Asean’s peacebuilding efforts, particularly as the region continues to grapple with the Myanmar crisis.
“Our country has experienced conflict before, and we know that the best way forward is through peace and dialogue.
“Timor-Leste is ready to take part in mediation initiatives, upholding Asean principles and collective responsibilities,” he said at a press conference at the Asean Summit meeting here.
Gusmão said Timor-Leste joined Asean “not to seek benefits but to share experiences”.
He expressed confidence that the country’s participation would strengthen Asean’s central role and help ensure that no nation in Southeast Asia is left behind.
In response, political analyst Joanne Lin of Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute agreed that while Timor-Leste’s accession adds another voice to an already complex consensus-based decision-making process, it also brings valuable experience in post-conflict reconstruction and democratic transition.
“I believe that Asean’s institutional integration will take time, but the process itself reflects Asean’s belief that no country in Southeast Asia should be left behind as regional cooperation deepens.”
She added that Timor-Leste’s membership is a powerful affirmation of Asean’s commitment to inclusivity and regional identity.
“Welcoming a small and developing member is both an act of solidarity and a test of Asean’s capacity-building model.
“Timor-Leste’s membership can really enhance Asean’s legitimacy in engaging with its dialogue partners, because many — from the EU to Australia and Japan — have long supported Timor-Leste’s accession and see it as a stabilising milestone for the region.”
Timor-Leste officially joined Asean today, becoming the bloc’s 11th member, in the culmination of more than a decade of efforts to join the regional grouping.
The nation, a former Portuguese colony, regained its independence in May 2002 after decades of an often-brutal Indonesian occupation. It applied for Asean membership in 2011 and was granted observer status in 2022.