ASEAN agrees in principle to admit East Timor as 11th member

13 Sept 14:07 Key points summarised by AI

ASEAN has agreed in principle to admit East Timor (Timor Leste) as its 11th member, a significant step for the young nation.
East Timor will also be granted observer status at high-level ASEAN meetings, with a roadmap for full membership to be presented at next year's summit.

ASEAN envoy to visit Myanmar starting Wednesday

Yesterday 08:32 Key points summarised by AI

**Humanitarian Mission:** An ASEAN special envoy, led by Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Teresa Lazaro, will visit Myanmar to expand humanitarian access and engage with local and national officials.
**Aid Focus:** The delegation, including experts from the AHA Centre, will assess humanitarian needs in conflict-hit regions like Shan State, aiming to streamline aid delivery.
**No Suu Kyi Engagement:** Despite recent positive developments for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the envoy's visit will not include a meeting with her, as no such arrangement was made.
**Unfulfilled Consensus:** While Myanmar establishes an ASEAN Affairs Coordinating Committee and its own roadmap, ASEAN reiterates that the bloc's Five-Point Consensus remains unfulfilled, leading to continued exclusion of Myanmar's political appointees from high-level meetings.