DILI, 29 august 2024 (TATOLI) – The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said that Timor-Leste must now fight to win the battle for the development of the country.
The UN Secretary-General said this in an interview with journalists after meeting with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão at the government office on thursday.
During the meeting, the UN Secretary expressed his sincere and emotional respect to the Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, as a fighter, a resistance leader, who sacrificed everything to achieve the independence of his country and people until he was imprisoned by the Indonesian Government.
The UN Secretary emphasized that there was a common point of view between the Timorese resistance group led by Xanana Gusmão and the Portuguese Government in the negotiations that eventually led to the self-determination process.
“This led to Timor-Leste’s transformation into an independent, democratic, human rights-respecting, and internationally prominent country with growing influence,” Secretary said.
Today Timor-Leste is winning the battle for independence, winning the battle for democracy, and as UN Secretary-General, António Guterres is proud that the UN has stood side by side with the people of Timor-Leste in the struggle for independence and the consolidation of democracy.
“But Timor-Leste must now win the development battle. This means that the UN, in its limited capacity with full commitment, is fully on the side of the Government of Timor-Leste, so that in accordance with the strategy of the Government of Timor-Leste, the UN can support the victory of the development battle,” he pointed out.
He was impressed by Prime Minister Gusmão’s description of the commitment to new efforts on food security and investment in agriculture, which of course is a crucial challenge for the success of the development strategy.
The UN Secretary was also impressed with the commitment expressed by the Prime Minister, Gusmão, in relation to education and health, who was particularly impressed with the vision of the necessary infrastructure and the ability to choose and decide what people will do, because although Timor-Leste is a small country like Portugal is also a small country, it has the capacity for international affirmation that can really be championed.
At the same place, Prime Minister Gusmão said that the UN Secretary’s presence in Timor-Leste was to attend the 25th anniversary of the referendum, and because of his contribution in 1999, António Guterres became Prime Minister of Portugal.
‘At that time, António Guterres as Prime Minister of Portugal encouraged Portugal’s participation in negotiations at the UN and on May 5 signed an agreement with Indonesia to conduct a referendum; therefore, we are grateful for the support not only from the Government of Portugal, where António Guterres was Prime Minister at that time, but also from the people of Portugal for the solidarity that made us confident that we could be independent,” Prime Minister said.
During the hour-long meeting, the two also discussed the relationship between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the UN, where the Secretary-General committed to promoting development in Timor-Leste.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
