Kuala Lumpur: In a landmark event that reshapes the regional landscape, Timor-Leste today officially acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its 11th member, marking a historic milestone for both the young nation and the 58-year-old regional bloc.

The accession — ASEAN’s first expansion in 26 years — was formalised through the signing of the “Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN” during the opening ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Ceremony and Signatories

The declaration was signed by ASEAN leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Representing Timor-Leste was Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to ASEAN members, describing the moment as “a new chapter of peace, partnership, and shared destiny for our region.”

Legal and Diplomatic Process

The accession follows Timor-Leste’s depositing of its Instruments of Accession to both the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) on October 25, 2025 — the final legal step required for full ASEAN membership.

This achievement caps off a long journey that began in 2011, when Timor-Leste first applied for membership. The nation was granted observer status in 2022, participating in ASEAN meetings and programs while preparing for full integration.

A New Era for ASEAN

With Timor-Leste’s entry, ASEAN now comprises 11 member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hailed the occasion as “a victory for ASEAN unity and a testament to our region’s enduring spirit of cooperation.” He added, “Timor-Leste’s inclusion strengthens our collective vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and resilient Southeast Asia.”

Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao at the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today.
–fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED
photographed by: NAZIRUL ROSELAN

Opportunities and Challenges Ahead

For Timor-Leste, ASEAN membership offers access to vital regional frameworks in trade, education, labour mobility, and security cooperation. However, as one of the smallest economies in the bloc, the country faces the challenge of aligning its domestic institutions with ASEAN’s standards and integration goals.

Experts say the move will not only deepen Timor-Leste’s diplomatic ties but also boost its economic prospects through new investment and collaboration opportunities.

As the ASEAN and Timor-Leste flags rose side by side at the summit’s closing ceremony, the moment symbolised both a diplomatic triumph and a shared regional future — one built on unity, inclusion, and collective progress.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser to the newly formed interim government, is set to visit the home of Shaheed Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur who was tragically killed in police firing during the quota reform movement.

According to Rangpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Mobasswer Hasan, Dr. Yunus will arrive in Babanpur village of Pirganj upazila by helicopter at approximately 9:30 am on Saturday. During his visit, he will pay his respects at Abu Sayed’s grave and meet with his family members.

Upon his return to Dhaka on Thursday, Dr. Yunus reflected on the memory of Abu Sayed, expressing deep emotion. “At this moment, I am remembering Abu Sayed, whose image is etched in the memory of every Bangladeshi. Nobody can forget it. What an incredibly brave young man he was! He stood in front of guns, and since then, no young man or woman has given up. They have moved forward and said, shoot as much as you can. We are here,” he remarked.

Abu Sayed, a key coordinator of the quota reform movement at Begum Rokeya University, played a leading role during the protests. On July 16, Sayed lost his life in police firing, and he was laid to rest the following day in Pirganj upazila.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and an interim government will be formed to run the country, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said today.

The Bangladesh army chief made the announcement while addressing the nation in the afternoon.

The army chief said in a televised address that Hasina had resigned earlier in the day.

The development comes in the wake of unprecedented violence that saw roughly 300 people killed in the space of two weeks.

He reassured everyone that justice would be ensured for each of the killings. General Waker said it was now everyone’s responsibility to remain calm.

“Together, we hope to go towards a better situation,” he said addressing the media.

“I am taking full responsibility,” the general said.

“The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, many people have been killed — it is time to stop the violence.”

“I hope after my speech, the situation will improve.”

He said he would talk to the president to form the interim government and had held talks with the main opposition parties and civil society members — but not the Awami League.

“If the situation gets better, there is no need for emergency”, he said, vowing that the new authorities would “prosecute all murders” following weeks of deadly protests.

“Now the task of the students is to keep calm and help us,” he said.