KUALA LUMPUR: Timor-Leste today officially acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its 11th member, marking a historic milestone for both the nation and the bloc.

Read more at : https://international.astroawani.com/malaysia-news/timorleste-officially-joins-asean-completing-southeast-asias-geographical-representation-544590

"Today, history is made," Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao told the other leaders as the flag of East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, was added to the other 10 on the stage at a formal ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. It was ASEAN's first expansion since the 1990s and was more than a decade in the making.

Read more at : https://apnews.com/article/east-timor-asean-first-expansion-fbc05e88d80a998a5ea542806437a76c

In November 2022, Asean leaders agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste and granted it observer status along with a roadmap toward full membership. Formerly known as East Timor, the island nation gained independence in 2002, making it Asia's youngest country. It is home to about 1.4 million people.

Read more at : https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/26/timor-leste-joins-asean-as-11th-member-marking-blocs-first-expansion-in-25-years/195933