Antara, 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.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2106493/timor-leste-president-lauds-benefits-from-full-asean-membershi