Prabowo Suggests Papua New Guinea Join ASEAN

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has suggested and supported Papua New Guinea (PNG) becoming a member of ASEAN.

Prabowo's proposal was shared by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in a written statement after accompanying President Prabowo at the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia on Monday, May 26, 2025.

"President Prabowo proposed and supports efforts for Papua New Guinea to become a member of ASEAN," said Cabinet Secretary Teddy.

Currently, ASEAN comprises 10 member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Timor Leste currently holds observer status and is slated to officially become ASEAN's 11th member in October 2025.

According to Teddy, during the plenary session addressing ASEAN's future steps, Prabowo underscored the importance of strengthening solidarity, maintaining regional stability, and increasing ASEAN's influence on the international stage.

"With a total population of ASEAN members estimated to reach around 700 million people in 2025, almost equivalent to the population of the European continent, ASEAN is a force to be reckoned with globally," he stated.

For this reason, Prabowo emphasized that PNG's inclusion in ASEAN would positively impact the expansion of cooperation networks and strengthen regional resilience. Geographically, PNG is a neighboring country directly bordering Indonesia's eastern region.

"Not only will it maintain regional stability within ASEAN, Papua New Guinea's joining will also make ASEAN more influential at the global level," Teddy added.

President Prabowo previously attended the plenary session of the 46th ASEAN Summit, which was officially opened by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as the Chair of ASEAN in 2025. The plenary session took place in the Conference Room, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday, May 26, 2025.

During the plenary session, ASEAN leaders discussed topics related to the development of the ASEAN community and future strategies, as well as external relations and future directions.

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