A billboard welcoming the UN Secretary-General to Timor-Leste. While in Timor-Leste, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the young country’s “growing international influence” UN
During his visit to Timor-Leste on Thursday, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the positive role the country can play regionally in helping resolve the crisis in war-torn Myanmar.
Antonio Guterres arrived in Timor-Leste on Wednesday to take part in celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the UN-organized vote for independence in the region formerly known as East Timor.
Timor-Leste gained independence in 2002. A 1999 referendum gave its residents the choice between autonomy within Indonesia or independence. After the people voted for independence, Timor-Leste was administered by the United Nations for three years before the organization handed over power to a democratically elected government in 2002. This ended decades of rule first by Portugal and then by Indonesia, which annexed the country in 1975.
Tribute to Timorese leader
On the second day of his official visit to Timor-Leste, the UN Secretary-General met with Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, paying tribute to the former resistance leader for “the sacrifices he made to achieve independence for his country and his people.”
In 1993, Xanana Gusmão was imprisoned in Indonesia for six years and was only released after the occupation ended.
The Voice for the future
Speaking to reporters at the Government Palace in the capital, Dili, the UN chief highlighted Timor-Leste’s achievements in strengthening democracy and human rights, as well as its growing international influence.
Guterres recalled that the Asian country is a founding member of the G7+, a group of countries facing conflict and supporting peace, and will soon join the ASEAN regional bloc. The secretary-general said he looks forward to Timor-Leste taking a leading role in supporting the future peace process in Myanmar, which has been plunged into chaos and violence since a military coup in 2021.