ASEAN Rules Out Membership for Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea

Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are highly unlikely to become members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as both countries fail to meet the bloc's geographical eligibility requirements, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn has said.

According to a report by the Jakarta Globe published on Friday, both Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea have expressed interest in joining ASEAN for years. Indonesia had also publicly supported PNG's bid. However, Kao Kim Hourn recently clarified that Timor-Leste is the bloc's final new member under the current ASEAN Charter, leaving no room for additional expansion.

Speaking at the 10th ASEAN Media Forum in Manila, Kao said, "Our expansion ends here." He explained that the ASEAN Charter recognizes only 11 countries as part of Southeast Asia, and membership is limited to those states. Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea fall outside the region's defined geographical boundaries.

Under the ASEAN Charter, one of the key requirements for membership is that a country must be geographically located in Southeast Asia. Papua New Guinea is considered part of Oceania, while Bangladesh is located in South Asia, making both ineligible under the current rules.

According to Kao, the only path for Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea to become members would be through an amendment to the ASEAN Charter. Such a change, however, would require unanimous approval from all ASEAN member states.

"As long as the member states do not amend the Charter and redefine the geographical scope, ASEAN will remain a grouping of these 11 countries," he said.

Earlier this year, Timor-Leste officially became ASEAN's newest member after pursuing membership since 2011. The accession process was so lengthy that Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta once joked that "it was easier to get into heaven than to get into ASEAN."

Malaysia, which chaired ASEAN this year, had received diplomatic lobbying from Bangladesh in support of its membership aspirations. Meanwhile, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto publicly backed Papua New Guinea's bid during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, describing the country as a close neighbor interested in joining the regional bloc.

Papua New Guinea has held ASEAN observer status since 1976, allowing it to participate in various ASEAN meetings, although observer status does not provide a pathway to full membership under the current charter.