Leaders of Southeast Asian nations, including President Prabowo Subianto, convened in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend for the three-day summit hosted under Malaysia’s chairmanship, as the regional grouping seeks to regain its footing after several bruising months of tariffs and other trade uncertainties.

This year’s summit marks a milestone for ASEAN as it welcomed Timor-Leste, Asia’s youngest nation, as its newest member, completing Southeast Asia’s geographical representation and marking the bloc’s first expansion in 26 years since Cambodia’s admission in 1999.

The accession was formalized through the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN during the opening ceremony of the annual summit on Sunday, when applause rang out as the country’s flag was placed alongside those of other member states.

“[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,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in his opening speech.

Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, who shed tears of joy after the signing, expressed gratitude to all ASEAN nations, describing his country’s accession as a “dream realized” and a powerful affirmation of the Timorese people’s journey of resilience.

“Timor-Leste joins with humility and with pride, fully embracing core values of ASEAN: mutual respect, peaceful cooperation, unity in diversity and regional solidarity,” he said in his speech.

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