Timor-Leste SEOM Leader Attends SEOM 1/56 Meeting in Malaysia
Malaysia, January 24, 2025
His Excellency, the Vice Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Augusto Júnior Trindade, together with the Timor-Leste delegation, participated in the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM 1/56), held from January 20 to 24, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Sarawak, Malaysia.
As the current Leader of the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) in Timor-Leste, the Vice Minister represented the country in the ASEAN accession process during the event.
During this meeting, ASEAN's permanent members reaffirmed their commitment to discussing Timor-Leste's membership as one of the main agenda items. At SEOM 1/56, held in Kuching, Malaysia, it was decided that deliberations on membership would progress to the ministerial level, culminating at the ASEAN Summit. This decision underscores the significance of this matter as one of the organization’s top priorities for the year.
ASEAN's permanent members reaffirmed their collective commitment to supporting Timor-Leste in adapting to the bloc's standards and objectives, ensuring that the integration process proceeds efficiently and harmoniously.
The inclusion of Timor-Leste was extensively debated, with support from various member states emphasizing that its membership is essential to strengthening regional unity.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the 10 permanent ASEAN member states: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, and Laos.
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