DILI, 19 may 2022 (TATOLI)-The Nobel prize winner José Ramos-Horta has been sworn in as the fifth President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, on may 19, 2022.
The new president’s oath of office was administered by the President of the National Parliament, Aniceto Guterres Lopes in Tasi Tolu, in Dili, on thursday night (19/05). During an inaugural address in which he labeled Timor-Leste as an ‘Oasis of Peace.’
“Timor-Leste is now an Oasis of Peace to achieve lasting peace (…) We are living in an imperfect democracy but it’s peaceful, with no record of any kind of political, ethnic, and religious violence. We live in fraternity and peace,” the new president said in his inaugural address.
He promised to the special guests from many different countries, Timorese people, and hundreds of thousands of people watching around the world: “From this oasis of tranquility, I reaffirm my commitment to fight for peace, for a human fraternity at national, regional, and international levels, regardless of ideology, religion, or social organization.”
Horta thanked the UN for its crucial role in Timor-Leste’s nation-building process: “In terms of multilateralism, and promoting respect for friendship between sovereign countries, I propose the development of Timor-Leste’s foreign policy.”
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Political, Law and Security Affairs Mohammad Mahfud, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of g7+, Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai, the Singaporean Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Second Minister for Education, and the Second Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Mohd Maliki Osman, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, MIYAKE Shingo, Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley, President of the National Assembly of São Tomé and Príncipe, Delfim Santiago das Neves were among those who attended the inauguration.
At one point in the ceremony Horta appreciate the dedication of the outgoing President Lu Olo for this beloved country.
“I would also like to express my appreciation to the outgoing President Lu Olo for his dedication to our beloved countries.”
“As I said, I hope to count upon you during my mandate as the President of RDTL for the next five years. You may also count on me to talk about personal or political matters. To all political parties, I would meet you at the National Parliament to have a dialogue with you. My door will be opened for you to come and talk about promoting peace, strengthening democracy, to fight extreme poverty and malnutrition in the country,” said Horta.
Horta served his first term as the President of the Republic in 2007, becoming the first President to serve the second term in Timor-Leste.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosarion
