President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, affirmed that the country is fully prepared to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and expressed hope that Timor-Leste will be able to officially join the regional body in October 2025. He delivered this statement during his remarks at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.
With a touch of humor, President Ramos-Horta remarked that sometimes the path to ASEAN feels more difficult than the path to heaven.
He acknowledged advice from several ASEAN member states urging Timor-Leste to focus on strengthening its human resources.
“I believe that, due to the pressure of the past several years, we have truly made significant progress in improving our public administration and in reviewing and reforming our laws,” he said.
Delivering this speech a day after presenting a public lecture at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), President Ramos-Horta once again praised UGM’s role in supporting the development of Timor-Leste.
Over the years, he noted, more than 3,000 Timor-Leste citizens have graduated from UGM, and currently, around 250 students from Timor-Leste are studying at the university.
“I just arrived in Yogyakarta yesterday at the invitation of UGM, one of Indonesia’s top universities. I am deeply grateful for their contributions over the years,” he said.
He emphasized that numerous discussions had taken place between UGM and Timor-Leste, which share a longstanding partnership in human resource development through education initiatives.
A significant number of Timor-Leste’s population are proud UGM alumni.
He also reiterated his appreciation for UGM’s Community Service Program (KKN-PPM), which he believes plays a pivotal role in empowering resilient and skilled communities capable of developing independently.
“To improve welfare, UGM has demonstrated its impact through the KKN-PPM program, which has even been adoptedby various universities abroad. We are also grateful that the KKN-PPM program has been extended to universities across Timor-Leste through collaborative agreements, offering real solutions for community empowerment,” he added.
Regarding Timor-Leste’s full membership in ASEAN, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arrmanatha Nasir, reiterated Indonesia’s full support for the country’s accession to the Southeast Asian bloc.
“Indonesia has been at the forefront in supporting Timor-Leste’s aspiration to become a full member of the ASEAN family,” stated Dr. Nasir.
He added that numerous capacity-building programs and technical cooperation efforts have been extended to Timor-Leste to ensure its full integration across all pillars of the ASEAN community.
Dr. Nasir emphasized that Indonesia and Timor-Leste are not only close neighbors but also essential partners in shaping a peaceful, inclusive, and dynamic Southeast Asia.
“Therefore, we remain committed to being Timor-Leste’s closest partner,” he added.
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, affirmed that the ASEAN Secretariat remains committed to supporting Timor-Leste’s transformative journey, primarily through coordinated capacity-building initiatives facilitated by ASEAN Member States.
“In addition, we encourage inclusive dialogue and strengthen institutional cooperation. These collaborative efforts, carried out in close partnership with Timor-Leste and Member States, are designed to ensure a smooth, effective, and meaningful integration process,” he stated.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographer: Firsto