Timor-Leste is set to become the newest member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc in October, capping off a process that has taken Southeast Asia's newest and smallest country 14 years.

The membership was confirmed last week during a visit to Timor-Leste by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

"The accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN will be of immense benefit to us all," Anwar told a press conference after meeting Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta.

"We will certainly have a big celebration for your accession to ASEAN in October 2025," he said.

The ASEAN membership could open new doors for Timor-Leste, including more regional inclusion and better economic integration with its neighbors.

Formerly called East Timor, Timor-Leste became independent in 2002 following years of civil war and Indonesian occupation. It first applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, and the membership process was formally launched in 2022. 

Sharon Seah, senior fellow at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told DW that Timor-Leste has been "waiting at ASEAN's door for 14 years."

"It has been said that it's easier to enter heaven than to join ASEAN. Timor-Leste applied for membership in 2011, some nine years after gaining independence. It recognized early on that it needed to join a regional body to secure its economic and political sovereignty as a new nation," Seah added.

Timor Leste's democratic credentials

In September, Timor Leste's government was put to the test by days of protests in the capital, Dili.

Around 2,000 people took to the streets protesting the government's plan to provide free Toyota Prado SUV vehicles to 65 lawmakers.

The demonstrations turned ugly when protesters threw rocks and set tires and vehicles on fire. The police responded by firing tear gas.

However, after three days of protests, the Timor-Leste government reversed course, unanimously voting to scrap the $4.2 million (€3.6 million) purchase of the vehicles.

Michael Leach, a professor of international relations at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, told DW that the quick de-escalation was a tribute to Timor-Leste's democracy.

"Timor-Leste is ranked the most democratic country in Southeast Asia, and has a well-enshrined freedom of assembly and freedom of protest," said Leach, who is also founder of Timor-Leste Studies Association.

"If you compare to some neighboring countries, the relative freedom of civil liberties helps keep the protests and conflict with the authorities in check," he added.

"There has been a lot of investment in Timor-Leste on mega projects, oil and gas projects and so on. But there is relative underinvestment in basic development indicators, like agriculture, education and health. The protests basically revolve around that," Leach said, adding that "the government and parliament response" to this pushback were key indicators for the country's future.

What can ASEAN do?

ASEAN was formed in 1967 to promote regional co-operation including in the economic, social and education fields, as well as promoting peace and security.

It currently includes ten countries — Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines — with Timor-Leste due to officially become its 11th member at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October.

Malaysia, which currently chairs ASEAN, has been the main driver in pushing for Timor-Leste's full membership. 

This backing from Kuala Lumpur was also reflected during the meeting between the Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and his Malaysian counterpart Ibrahim last week.

"We agreed to further enhance our bilateral relations in key sectors including trade, investment, higher education, health and tourism," Gusmao said.

Khoo Ying Hooi, an associate professor of international relations and human rights at the University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, said Timor-Leste has been focusing on welcoming potential investors from abroad.

"The visit by Anwar Ibrahim for the first time is very significant," she told DW. 

"Leading up to the ASEAN admission, before the official announcement by Malaysia as chair, there have been business people coming from the region, bringing people in to see what they can do in Timor-Leste, and what kind of businesses and investments they can do," she added.

At the same time, there are still concerns within Timor-Leste about the actual effects of the ASEAN membership.

"I see mixed feelings coming from the Timorese society," Khoo Ying Hooi said.

"Some are still skeptical about what ASEAN can bring to them. The Timorese perspective is there is misunderstanding about whether ASEAN can actually provide job opportunities and basically open up everything. It is not easy as it seems," she added.

Timor-Leste has a population of 1.3 million people and is ranked as a lower-middle income economy, the smallest in the Southeast Asia region, contributing to only 0.1% of the regional GDP, according to the Lowy Institute.

The economy relies heavily on natural resources, especially oil reserves extracted from the Timor Sea, accounting for 80% of the island country's GDP. Public spending is key to economic stimulation, with agriculture, fishing and tourism also a focus for economic growth.

While Timor-Leste struggles with high levels of unemployment, it also boast one of the world's youngest populations, with 74% under the age of 35, according to the UN.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn 

Written using material from AFP news agency