KUALA LUMPUR:
Timor-Leste officially joined Asean today, becoming the Southeast Asian bloc’s 11th member after signing the declaration of accession at the opening ceremony of the 47th Asean Summit here.
The historic signing by Asean leaders marked the culmination of more than a decade of efforts by the young nation to join the regional grouping.
Timor-Leste first applied for Asean membership in 2011 and was granted observer status in 2022.
Since then, it has taken part in key Asean meetings while working to align its national frameworks with the bloc’s political, economic and socio-cultural pillars.
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