Dili, 19 April 2024: It was agreed in principle for Timor-Leste to become the 11th ASEAN member at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo. This follows the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) at the Ministerial Level adopting the Guidelines for the Implementation of Observer Status given to the country in ASEAN in February 2023.

There are several criteria Timor-Leste still needs to meet, including the adjustment of national regulations related to ASEAN agreements and documents, as well as the establishment of the country's diplomatic mission for ASEAN.

In preparation, Timor-Leste's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation organised a five-day program Futuru Líder ba ASEAN (FLBA). The purpose of this accelerator training workshop was to develop young and future leaders in Timor-Leste from all sectors of society to understand ASEAN and work with its institutions. The main objectives were: developing ASEAN-capable and ASEAN-ready leaders who understand and can work with ASEAN; providing ASEAN exposure and networking with leaders and future leaders across ASEAN member states (AMS); and ensuring career mobility opportunities for cross-sector leadership and entrepreneurship.

This first accelerator program held in Dili on 15-19 April aimed to lay foundations for Timor-Leste’s development and prepare about 100 young professionals for ASEAN immersion fieldwork and report preparations. The three leadership accelerator tracks for the nation’s development are: responsible economic development, full sustainability, and human development.

Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, the Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs, inaugurated the program, noting that identifying Timor-Leste's resources and opportunities for cooperation is critical, and in-depth analysis of the AMS’ strategy for responsible economic development, sustainability and human development is needed.

Dr Venkatchalam Anbumozhi, ERIA Director of Research Strategy and Innovation, served as a principal resource person for the track on full sustainability. On the first day of the program, he provided snapshots of 17 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and indicators aimed to establish baseline information on sustainable development being tracked and measured both globally and in ASEAN member states. This will aid the monitoring of progress in achieving the global agenda, as well as supporting relevant policy making at the national and sub-regional levels.

On the second day of the accelerator program, plenary speaker Dr Anbumozhi articulated the opportunities for a green, connected, and sustainable ASEAN, and mapped out the pivotal trends and challenges shaping the region’s journey toward an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future aided by digital and green technologies. The urgency for regionally coordinated actions to reduce carbon emissions and pollution and combat global warming was emphasised, along with challenges in translating the policies into concrete and immediate bankable projects and actions.

The participants from Timor-Leste understood the repercussions of this global warming trend encompass a wide array of environmental, social, and economic challenges, from extreme weather events and rising sea levels to disruptions in ecosystems, migration, and threats to global food security.

On the third day, the transformative actions recognised by ASEAN in realising the sustainability objectives through the circular and blue economy framework were discussed, along with the opportunities available with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and digital transformation in providing decent and green job solutions. The participants were then divided into three groups, and discussed the content and approaches of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) blueprints for sustainability from the perspective of Timor-Leste’s Development Road Map – which prioritises the agriculture, industry, and tourism sectors as vehicles for realising inclusive and sustainable growth.

As a follow-up to this immersion program, around 10 participants from each track will be selected to visit nine ASEAN Member States in the following months for collective learning on the issues, and to develop contacts with the public and private sectors and academia for further cooperation.