TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta said full ASEAN membership has brought immediate benefits to his country, including accelerated infrastructure and investment developments.
Asked about the impact of ASEAN membership on Timor Leste on Tuesday, Ramos-Horta said there are improvements in infrastructure development, "such as hotels and conference halls as well as road expansion and urban renewal projects."
Met after speaking at the "Leadership Lecture" held by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in Jakarta, he stated that these improvements are further driven by Timor Leste's readiness to assume the rotating ASEAN chairship in 2029.
However, he said the accelerated development is not only aimed at preparing Timor Leste to host the upcoming ASEAN Summit, but also to improve public facilities for its citizens.
Timor Leste's accession to ASEAN, Ramos-Horta said, also encourages national economic progress and investment, which aims to swiftly boost citizens' quality of life.
He is optimistic that more investors will enter the country as it gears up to hold the rotating ASEAN chairship. "Timor Leste is being 'forced' to accelerate development across various sectors," he added.
Ramos-Horta also acknowledged that Timor Leste still needs to adjust and adapt its legislation to align with ASEAN treaties and principles. This process is targeted for completion before 2029, he said.
Regarding the areas Timor Leste wants to focus on as an ASEAN member, the Timor Leste president stated that they want to encourage conflict prevention efforts both at the regional level and at the level of its member states.
Furthermore, the diversity of ethnicities, religions, and economic disparities among communities in Southeast Asian countries is often a "recipe" that can trigger conflict and national instability, he said.
In a press conference following the 48th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on May 11, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn stated that Timor Leste had expressed its readiness to assume the rotating ASEAN chairship in 2029.
Timor Leste has also established the ASEAN National Council for the Chairship (ACNOC), with the inaugural meeting of this preparatory body held in February 2026.
Read: ASEAN Revises Charter After Nearly Two Decades
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
ASEAN Revises Charter After Nearly Two Decades
24 hari lalu
ASEAN leaders adopted the Cebu Protocol on May 8, 2026, marking the first amendment to the ASEAN Charter since 2007.
Fact Check: Video of Israeli Mass Exodus After Failed Truce
33 hari lalu
Tempo's fact check reveals that a viral video claiming to show a mass exodus of Israelis after failed US-Iran talks is false.
Indonesia's Bobibos Biofuel in Timor Leste Hits 70% Readiness
36 hari lalu
Revealing the progress of Bobibos production in Timor Leste, founder Iklas Thamrin shares the latest update on the production process.
Vietnam Annihilates Timor Leste 10-0 in 2026 AFF U-17 Cup
47 hari lalu
Vietnam defeated Timor Leste 10-0 in the Group A preliminary round match of the 2026 AFF U-17 Cup.
Indonesia Wins 4-0 in First AFF U-17 Cup Match Against Timor Leste
50 hari lalu
The victory puts Indonesia level with Vietnam at the top of the Group A standings in the interim of AFF U-17 2026.
Indonesian Biofuel Bobibos Ready for Mass Production in Timor Leste
31 Maret 2026
Bobibos producer will begin mass-producing the alternative fuel in Timor Leste, targeting 50,000 liters per day starting in late April 2026.
Strategic Priorities for ASEAN's Newest Member
5 Januari 2026
Membership of ASEAN brings Timor-Leste political visibility and economic opportunity, but also new exposure to disputes.
Xanana Gusmao Calls for Proactive ASEAN Amid Thailand-Cambodia Clashes
12 Desember 2025
Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao calls on ASEAN to urge Thailand and Cambodia to open up dialogue amid fighting.
Timor Leste's Xanana Gusmao Offers "Heartfelt Condolences" over Sumatra Floods
12 Desember 2025
Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao expressed condolences for the Sumatra flood in his speech.
Timor Leste PM Xanana Gusmao Visits ASEAN HQ in Jakarta
12 Desember 2025
Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao made his first official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
:strip_icc():format(jpeg)/kly-media-production/medias/5502852/original/043074800_1771048777-4.jpg)
:strip_icc():format(jpeg)/kly-media-production/medias/3413087/original/89624600_1616897919-horizontal-shot-satisfied-college-student-uses-new-cool-app-cell-phone-carries-notepad-writing-notes-wears-spectacles-silk-scarf-knitted-sweater-isolated-blue-wall_273609-26316.jpg)