On October 26, East Timor officially acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at the opening of the annual summit, as the 11th member of the regional bloc.
Advertisement
Known officially as Timor-Leste, the country gained full independence on May 20, 2002, after a United Nations-supervised referendum in 1999. With a population of 1.4 million and its capital in Dili, East Timor is rich in oil and natural gas reserves located in the Timor Sea. The country also exports coffee, vanilla and scrap iron, as well as sandalwood, its national tree.
The long campaign for the nation’s accession to Asean was by no means smooth sailing. Its overreliance on oil and gas revenue, commodities with significant price fluctuations, and emerging state capacity limitations had, in the past, made some reluctant to incorporate the fledgling country into Asean.
Yet with their governments proactively pursuing greater integration and ameliorating internal inequalities, leaders of Asean and East Timor alike have worked consistently in bringing about this historic moment.
As East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao eloquently put it, this was a “powerful affirmation” of his country’s journey, “marked by resilience, determination and hope.”
Advertisement
The benefits to East Timor are immensely clear. East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta intends to establish a more conducive investment environment in the domains of infrastructure, digital technology and tourism, effectively doubling down on its service industry while upgrading its human capital.