East Timor is slated to become the 11th member of the ASEAN regional bloc in October, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Tuesday during a visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

The accession will be formalised at a gathering of world leaders in Kuala Lumpur, confirmed Anwar, whose country currently chairs the Association of South East Asian Nations.

East Timor is the youngest country in the region, having gained independence from 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 accession to ASEAN in October 2025,” he said.

Anwar said

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