Kuala lumpur: ASEAN member states have agreed that the documentation process for Timor-Leste’s full membership should be completed swiftly before the 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to be held this October. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the matter was agreed upon during discussions with his ASEAN counterparts at the plenary session of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), to ensure Timor-Leste can be formally confirmed as a full member of ASEAN during the summit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad Hasan emphasized the importance of expediting the documentation for Timor-Leste to complete the process in time for the ASEAN Summit in October. In May, ASEAN leaders agreed to admit Timor-Leste as the bloc’s 11th member, contingent upon its compliance with a stipulated roadmap. Mohamad added that this move would signal ASEAN’s openness and unity as an inclusive regional bloc.

During the plenary session, ministers also discussed ASEAN’s relations with external partners and emphasized the need for ASEAN to be a more open bloc. Mohamad noted the importance of ASEAN being seen as an inclusive entity that welcomes cooperation from various external partners in strategic relations and trade. This approach aims to prevent the region from becoming overly reliant on any single party.

The 58th AMM and related meetings are taking place from July 8 to 11 under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’. These meetings feature 24 ministerial-level engagements involving ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners. The four-day high-level event brings together around 1,500 delegates, including Foreign Ministers of ASEAN countries, Timor-Leste’s foreign minister, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participants, Sectoral Dialogue Partners, and senior ASEAN Secretariat officials.