East Timor to become ASEAN bloc's 11th member in October | International

DILI, East Timor, Sept 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - East Timor is slated to becomethe 11th member of the ASEAN regional bloc in October, Malaysian PrimeMinister Anwar Ibrahim said Tuesday during a visit to the Southeast Asiannation. The accession will be formalised at a gathering of world leaders in KualaLumpur, confirmed Anwar, whose country currently chairs the Association ofSouth East Asian Nations. East Timor is the youngest country in the region, having gained independencefrom Indonesia in 2002 after 24 years of occupation. "The accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN will be of immense benefit to us all,"Anwar told a press conference after a meeting with East Timor's president,Ramos-Horta, in the country's capital, Dili. "We will certainly have a big celebration for your...