(MENAFN) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit commenced on Sunday in Malaysia, where leaders celebrated the inclusion of Timor-Leste as the bloc’s 11th member, marking the first enlargement in 26 years.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is presiding over the 47th edition of the summit, which will continue until Tuesday. Malaysia currently holds the chairmanship of the organization, its fifth time leading the bloc since its founding in 1967.

During the inauguration at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, delegates participated in a formal signing ceremony to admit Timor-Leste, also referred to as East Timor. The nation initially submitted its application in 2011 and attained observer status in 2022.

Founded in Bangkok on August 8, 1967, ASEAN is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

At the summit, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is welcoming leaders from ASEAN nations, alongside top officials from the United States, South Africa, Brazil, China, Japan, South Korea, and other significant partners.

The gathering is centered around the theme, “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”

“Timor-Leste’s place here completes the ASEAN family - reaffirming our shared destiny and deep sense of regional kinship. Within this community, Timor-Leste’s development and its strategic autonomy will find firm and lasting support,” Anwar declared in his opening address.

US President Donald Trump is participating in the summit, where he will join Anwar in witnessing the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, following deadly border confrontations in July.

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