[ENG-TET]
PRESS RELEASE
President Ramos-Horta Celebrates Historic ASEAN Membership Decision and Bestows Brunei Ambassador with the Collar Order of Timor-Leste
Dili, May 28, 2025
President and Nobel Peace Laureate, J. Ramos-Horta, hosted an informal Cocktail for ASEAN Ambassadors to commemorate the landmark decision admitting Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During the ceremony, President Ramos-Horta bestowed the prestigious Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste upon Mr. Wan Hadfi Lutfan bin Haji Abdul Latif, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Timor-Leste. The Ceremony was held at the ASEAN Hall, Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace.
The celebration follows the momentous ASEAN Chair’s Statement issued at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 26-27, 2025, which officially announced ASEAN Leaders’ collective decision to admit Timor-Leste as the organization’s 11th Member State. Full membership will be formalized at the 47th ASEAN Summit scheduled for October 2025.
This achievement represents the culmination of over five decades of diplomatic engagement, beginning with President Ramos-Horta’s initial discussions with Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik in Jakarta in 1974, and formalized through Timor-Leste’s letter of intention to join ASEAN in 2011.
“This admission represents the fulfillment of a dream that began over 50 years ago and reflects the unwavering dedication of Timorese leaders, past and present, who believed in ASEAN’s vision,” stated President Ramos-Horta. “Today, we celebrate not just our admission, but our commitment to work even harder as we prepare to contribute to the ASEAN Community’s shared prosperity and regional stability.”
President Ramos-Horta bestowed the Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste upon Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Timor-Leste, Mr. Wan Hadfi Lutfan bin Haji Abdul Latif, in recognition of his exceptional diplomatic service since presenting his credentials on July 15, 2022.
Under Ambassador Wan Hadfi’s tenure, bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam have achieved unprecedented progress through reciprocal state visits between His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei and President Ramos-Horta, strategic ministerial exchanges, and the signing of crucial agreements covering air services, worker recruitment, and visa exemptions.
Notable achievements during his tenure include enhanced cooperation in higher education through SEAMEO VOCTECH’s TVET policy revision project, healthcare collaboration resulting in provisional accreditation for Dili Medical Center, expanded private sector partnerships led by companies such as Daikyo Industrial Gas, and Timor-Leste’s inaugural participation in the BIMP-EAGA Business Council.
“Ambassador Wan Hadfi Lutfan has exemplified the finest traditions of diplomacy through his dedicated service to strengthening the bonds between Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam,” President Ramos-Horta stated. “His efforts over the past two years have created foundations for cooperation that will benefit both our peoples for generations to come.”
President Ramos-Horta expressed profound gratitude to all ASEAN Member States for their solidarity and unwavering support throughout Timor-Leste’s membership journey, as well as to development partners for their continued commitment.
Timor-Leste now stands ready to assume its full responsibilities as an ASEAN member and contribute meaningfully to building a united, peaceful, and resilient ASEAN Community.
END
KOMUNIKADU IMPRENSA
Prezidente Ramos-Horta Selebra Desizaun Istóriku Adezaun ASEAN nian no Kondekora Embaixadór Brunei ho Kolar Orden Timor-Leste
Dili, 28 Maiu 2025
Prezidente no Laureadu Nobel ba Pás, J. Ramos-Horta, sai uma-na’in ba Cocktail informál ida ba Embaixadór sira ASEAN nian hodi komemora desizaun istóriku ba admisaun Timor-Leste nu’udar membru membru Asosiasaun Nasaun Sudeste Aziatiku(ASEAN) ba dala 11. Durante serimónia ne’e, Prezidente Ramos-Horta kondekora Kolár Orden Timor-Leste ne’ebé prestijiozu ba Sr. Wan Hadfi Lutfan bin Haji Abdul Latif, Embaixadór Extraordináriu no Plenipotentsiáriu Brunei Darussalam mai Timor-Leste. Serimónia ne’e halo iha Salaun ASEAN, Palásiu Prezidensial Nicolau Lobato.
Selebrasaun ne’e realiza hafoin Deklarasaun importante husi Prezidente ASEAN nian ne’ebé fó sai iha Simeira ASEAN ba dala 46 iha Kuala Lumpur, Malázia, iha loron 26-27 fulan-maiu tinan 2025, ne’ebé anunsiu ofisialmente desizaun kolektiva Líder ASEAN sira hodi admite Timor-Leste nu’udar Estadu-membru organizasaun nian ba dala 11. Adezaun kompletu sei formaliza iha Simeira ASEAN ba dala 47 ne’ebé programa ona ba fulan Outubru 2025.
Realizasaun ida-ne’e reprezenta kulminasaun dékada lima liu husi empeñamentu diplomátiku, hahú ho Prezidente Ramos-Horta nia diskusaun inisiál ho Ministru Negósiu Estranjeiru Indonézia nian, Sr. Adam Malik, iha Jakarta iha tinan 1974, no formaliza liuhusi karta intensaun Timor-Leste nian atu adere ba ASEAN iha tinan 2011.
“Admisaun ne’e reprezenta konkretizasaun mehi ida ne’ebé hahú liu tinan 50 liubá no no reflete dedikasaun metin husi líder Timor oan sira, molok no agora, ne’ebé fiar ba vizaun ASEAN nian,” afirma Prezidente Ramos-Horta. “Ohin, ita selebra la’ós de’it ita-nia admisaun, maibé ita-nia kompromisu atu serbisu maka’as liután bainhira ita prepara atu kontribui ba komunidade ASEAN nia prosperidade komún no estabilidade rejionál.”
Prezidente Ramos-Horta kondekora Kolár Orden Timor-Leste nian ba Embaixadór Extraordináriu no Plenipotentsiáriu Brunei Darussalam mai Timor-Leste, Sr. Wan Hadfi Lutfan bin Haji Abdul Latif, nu’udar rekoñesimentu ba ninia servisu diplomátiku esepsionál dezde aprezenta karta kredensiál iha loron 15 fulan-jullu 2020.
Iha Embaixadór Wan Hadfi nia mandatu, relasaun bilateral entre Timor-Leste ho Brunei Darussalam hetan progresu ne’ebé laiha presedente liu husi vizita estadu resíproku entre Sua Majestade Sultan Brunei nian ho Prezidente Ramos-Horta, interkámbiu ministeriál estratéjiku sira, no asinatura akórdu importante sira ne’ebé kobre servisu aéreu, rekrutamentu trabalhador, no ezensaun vistu.
Realizasaun notável sira durante nia mandatu inklui reforsa kooperasaun iha ensinu superiór atraves projetu revizaun polítika TVET SEAMEO VOCTECH nian, kolaborasaun kuidadu saúde nian ne’ebé rezulta iha akreditasaun provizóriu ba Sentru Médiku Dili, habelar parseria setór privadu nian ne’ebé aumenta ne’ebé lidera husi kompañia sira hanesan Daikyo Industrial Gas, no partisipasaun inaugural Timor-Leste nian iha Konsellu Negosiu BIMP-EAGA.
“Embaixadór Wan Hadfi Lutfan exemplifika tradisaun diplomasia ne’ebé di’ak liu husi nia servisu dedikadu hodi hametin ligasaun entre Timor-Leste ho Brunei Darussalam,” dehan Prezidente Ramos-Horta. “Nia esforsu sira iha tinan rua ne’e kria ona fundasaun ba kooperasaun ne’ebé sei benefisia ita-nia povu rua ba jerasaun sira tuir mai.”
Prezidente Ramos-Horta hato’o agradesimentu profundu ba Estadu-membru ASEAN hotu-hotu ba sira-nia solidariedade no apoiu ne’ebé metin durante jornada adezaun Timor-Leste nian, no mós ba parseiru dezenvolvimentu sira ba sira-nia kompromisu kontínuu.
Timor-Leste agora prontu atu asume nia responsabilidade tomak nu’udar membru ASEAN no kontribui ho signifikativamente atu hodi harii Komunidade ASEAN ne’ebé unidu, pasífiku, no reziliente.
REMATA//