Timor-Leste today officially acceded to Asean as its 11th member, marking a historic milestone for both the nation and the bloc.

The accession, the grouping’s first expansion in 26 years, was formalised through the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into Asean during the opening ceremony of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

The signatories were...