The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), held in Kuala Lumpur on 9 July 2025, marked a historic turning point in Southeast Asia’s regional architecture by accelerating the final phase of Timor-Leste’s accession into ASEAN.

This development follows the decision made at the 46th ASEAN Summit to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member at the forthcoming 47th ASEAN Summit scheduled for October 2025.

With Malaysia as ASEAN Chair and host of the 58th AMM, Kuala Lumpur became the centre stage for advancing this crucial milestone of ASEAN enlargement.

Procedural steps and institutional integration

During the 58th AMM, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers formally adopted the Guidelines to Facilitate Timor-Leste’s Accession to ASEAN Legal Instruments, signifying institutional readiness for Timor-Leste’s full integration.

These guidelines chart the path for Dili to accede to ASEAN’s numerous treaties, agreements and conventions that span across the three ASEAN Community pillars, Political-Security, Economic and Socio-Cultural.

The AMM also called upon Timor-Leste to expedite the ratification of these legal instruments and align its domestic frameworks with ASEAN’s existing policies. This includes acceding to key economic agreements vital for market access, trade liberalisation, and regional connectivity. The operationalisation of the Timor-Leste Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat will be instrumental in monitoring and facilitating this integration process.

For its part, Malaysia played a critical role in ensuring these procedural steps were implemented effectively and with urgency. As the Chair of ASEAN 2025, Malaysia not only hosted and chaired the meeting but also underscored the value of inclusivity and sustainability, both of which are deeply reflected in ASEAN’s embrace of Timor-Leste’s accession.

Malaysia’s leadership and strategic diplomacy

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his opening address, championed the principle of ASEAN Centrality and called for greater synergy across ASEAN pillars. His remarks framed Timor-Leste’s entry not merely as a procedural expansion but as a strategic investment in regional solidarity.

Echoing this spirit, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan emphasised during the press conference on 11 July that Malaysia strongly supports Timor-Leste’s early accession to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty -expected to occur during the 47th ASEAN Summit – further embedding Dili into ASEAN’s peace and security framework.

Malaysia’s stewardship has been marked by both decisiveness and diplomatic clarity.

By pushing forward legal harmonisation processes and facilitating Timor-Leste’s meaningful participation in ASEAN dialogues, Malaysia has not only fulfilled its chairmanship duties but also reaffirmed its longstanding role as a bridge-builder in Southeast Asia.

Regional and strategic impacts of Timor-Leste’s accession

Timor-Leste’s accession will have multi-dimensional impacts across ASEAN, strengthening the regional bloc in several significant ways.

Politically, the admission of Timor-Leste reinforces ASEAN’s identity as an inclusive, rules-based and cohesive community. It highlights the Association’s commitment to engaging and embracing emerging democracies, particularly those with unique post-conflict experiences.

Timor-Leste, having gained independence in 2002 after years of foreign occupation and civil strife, now stands as a resilient democracy with a strong national commitment to human rights, good governance, and regional cooperation. Its inclusion sends a strong signal that ASEAN does not merely function as an exclusive club of economically developed or geopolitically powerful states, but as a community that values democratic evolution, national resilience and regional solidarity.

Strategically, Timor-Leste’s accession to the Treaty on SEANWFZ – scheduled for October 2025 – will have a significant impact on the regional security architecture. It will expand the geographical reach of the nuclear-free zone to fully cover the Southeast Asian landmass, closing a symbolic and strategic gap in the treaty’s scope.

Timor-Leste’s commitment to a denuclearised Southeast Asia will strengthen ASEAN’s collective voice in disarmament forums, bolster its role as a champion of peace and stability, and demonstrate that regional unity can be a powerful counterbalance to global insecurity.

Economically, Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN holds transformative potential for both the country and the regional bloc. With a population of approximately 1.3 million and abundant natural resources – including oil and gas – Timor-Leste represents an emerging frontier market in Southeast Asia. Its accession will expand ASEAN’s internal market, encouraging greater intra-ASEAN trade, investment and development cooperation.

ASEAN has already committed to providing technical assistance and policy support to ensure Timor-Leste’s smooth transition into the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). This includes facilitating its accession to key agreements such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) and other relevant protocols.

Socially and culturally, Timor-Leste’s inclusion adds linguistic and cultural diversity, enriching ASEAN’s socio-cultural exchanges and reinforcing its motto of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.”

As the 47th ASEAN Summit approaches in October 2025, the full admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN stands not only as a diplomatic formality but as a powerful affirmation of ASEAN’s commitment to inclusivity, unity, and future-oriented cooperation. Malaysia, through its strategic leadership and diplomatic agility, has played an indispensable role in realising this regional aspiration.

-- BERNAMA

Assoc Prof Dr Nazariah Osman is the Dean of School of International Studies, College of Law, Government and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia.