“A key step will be upgrading the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), which will make trade easier and reduce non-tariff barriers for our businesses and people,” Wong posted on Facebook.

With the inclusion of Timor-Leste and the bloc’s commitment to deeper integration, he said ASEAN is sending a clear signal - that it is united and determined to build a more prosperous and secure future for all its people.

Wong said ASEAN is also committed to strengthening its collective efforts to combat transnational crime, particularly online scams that harm many citizens in the region.

Meanwhile, Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the republic has consistently supported Timor-Leste’s efforts to join ASEAN.

“Through the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration, Singapore has trained hundreds of Timorese officials in areas such as public administration, education, and digital governance,” he posted on Facebook.

Balakrishnan said in 2022, Singapore launched the Enhanced Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (eSTARS) package to further prepare Timor-Leste for ASEAN membership through targeted training, advisory support, and exchanges to help the country build the capabilities needed to participate effectively in ASEAN processes and frameworks.

Timor-Leste officially acceded to ASEAN as its 11th member state during the opening ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Timor-Leste’s accession completes the geographical representation of Southeast Asia. Before this, the last country admitted to the bloc was Cambodia, on April 30, 1999.

The youngest nation in the region gained its independence on May 20, 2002. In 2011, it formally applied to join ASEAN, marking a decade-long journey to meet the bloc’s economic and institutional benchmarks.

-- BERNAMA