Timor-Leste to be granted full Asean membership in October: Anwar

He says grouping reached consensus on country's application after rounds of talks

- Lu Wei Hoong

KUALA LUMPUR - Timor-Leste will become Asean's 11th member state, with full membership to be granted at the next regional meeting in Kuala Lumpur later in 2025.

Announcing this at a press conference on May 27, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country is the Asean chair in 2025, said Timor-Leste will become a full member of the regional grouping at the upcoming Asean meeting scheduled for October.

"The decision is they will be accepted as a full member in the next October session," said Datuk Seri Anwar, adding that this was still subject to Timor-Leste fulfilling "one or two" more conditions under the economic pillar.

He said Asean had finally achieved a real consensus on Timor-Leste after many rounds of negotiations.

Timor-Leste was officially recognized by the UN in 2002, making it Asia's youngest democracy. The resource-rich country of 1.5 million people immediately began the process of accession to Asean but formally applied for membership only in 2011.