ASEAN Welcomes Timor-Leste with Capacity-Building Initiative

JAKARTA, 23 February 2026 – Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), today officiated the opening ceremony of the first training program under the Korea Initiatives for Capacity and Knowledge Support Towards ASEAN Readiness of Timor-Leste (KICKSTART) Project. The initiative aims to bolster Timor-Leste’s integration into the ASEAN Community.

Strengthening Timor-Leste’s ASEAN Integration

The ceremony was attended by Hahm Jeong-han, Chargé d’Affaires of the Mission of the Republic of Korea (ROK) to ASEAN, Crisogno Leandro de Araújo, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, Lee Sangmin, Team Leader of the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF) Project Management Team, and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat.

Funded by the ROK Government through the AKCF and implemented by the Korea International Cooperation Service (KOICS), the KICKSTART Project focuses on strengthening institutional and human resource capacity to support Timor-Leste’s full participation in ASEAN. Satvinder Singh expressed appreciation for the ROK’s continued commitment to ASEAN’s capacity-building efforts.

Strategic Timing and Key Areas of Focus

DSG Satvinder underscored the project’s strategic importance as Timor-Leste progresses towards full membership in ASEAN. He highlighted the critical need to strengthen competencies in key areas, including customs administration, trade facilitation, regulatory systems, and legal frameworks. These improvements will be essential for Timor-Leste to fulfill its ASEAN commitments and integrate effectively into regional and global trade.

Advancing Trade Integration and the IAI Work Plan

The Deputy Secretary-General also emphasized recent advancements in ASEAN’s trade integration agenda, specifically the signing of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA). The upgraded ATIGA, set to take effect on June 1, 2027, will introduce deeper tariff liberalization, strengthen rules on non-tariff measures, and expand digital trade facilitation tools to enhance efficiency and reinforce regional supply chains. Satvinder Singh emphasized the need for sustained support to Timor-Leste as it prepares for full integration in 2028.

DSG Satvinder highlighted the recently adopted Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan V (2026–2030), which prioritizes projects benefiting Timor-Leste alongside Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam (CLMV) countries. He encouraged continued collaboration with the Republic of Korea to implement the new Work Plan and mobilize support for narrowing development gaps within ASEAN.

Commitment to Timor-Leste’s Integration

Reaffirming ASEAN’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s integration process, DSG Satvinder expressed confidence that the KICKSTART Project will meaningfully contribute to strengthening institutional capacity and advancing regional economic integration. Satvinder Singh currently serves as the Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community, a role he has held since 2021, with a term renewal beginning in 2024. He provides strategic advice to the Secretary-General of ASEAN and leads the AEC Department in implementing the AEC Blueprint 2025.

Photo Credit: KOICS