Kuala Lumpur, 25 May 2025: ERIA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen technical cooperation in support of Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN, with a focus on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) pillar.

The MoU was signed by ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe and H.E. Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

Under this partnership, ERIA will provide targeted technical support to Timor-Leste, including capacity building and knowledge-sharing initiatives. These efforts aim to enhance the country’s readiness and alignment with ASEAN’s economic integration goals.

Minister Freitas expressed his appreciation for ERIA’s continued support, stating, ‘Timor-Leste values ERIA’s technical expertise and longstanding commitment to ASEAN integration. We look forward to working closely together.’

This collaboration reaffirms ERIA’s role in promoting regional integration and sustainable development through research-based policy advice and institutional partnerships across Southeast Asia.