DILI, 29 august 2024 (TATOLI)— The President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, warmly welcomed the first official visit of the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development of Malaysia, Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to the Presidential Palace.
“This marks the first official visit of the Vice Prime Minister of Malaysia to Timor-Leste, marking a new chapter in the strong bilateral relations between the two countries,” said a press release from the Presidential Palace, which is accessed by TATOLI, on thursday.
Timor-Leste and Malaysia have fostered strong relations since the restoration of Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002, built on a foundation of mutual respect and support.
Malaysia has played a key role in Timor-Leste’s journey towards stability, contributing peacekeeping troops during critical times and providing vital assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relationship was further strengthened by the official visit of the then Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad, in 2003, who was the first Head of Government to visit the newly independent Timor-Leste.
During their meeting, President Ramos-Horta and Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi discussed various areas of mutual interest and cooperation, including economic partnerships and trade opportunities, developing educational collaboration, and enhancing cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, and capacity building.
President Horta emphasized the importance of Timor-Leste’s relationship with Malaysia, stating, “We are honored to host Deputy Prime Minister Hamidi and his delegation. This visit marks an important milestone in the relationship between Timor-Leste and Malaysia, and we look forward to building on our shared interests and values,” he said.
The two leaders expressed their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations and exploring new avenues for collaboration that will benefit the people of both countries.
The visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional and Rural Development of Malaysia to Timor-Leste also included attending several important events, such as witnessing the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding between educational institutions of both countries, inaugurating the Halal Roundtable Meeting “Making Halal a New Source of Economic Growth for Timor-Leste,” and attending the 25th Anniversary of the Timor-Leste Referendum.
The official visit underscored the growing importance of Timor-Leste in the region and highlighted the country’s efforts to strengthen its diplomatic and economic ties with neighboring countries. The visit also demonstrated Malaysia’s continued support for Timor-Leste’s aspiration to become a full member of ASEAN.
The visit builds on recent high-level exchanges between the two countries and aims to establish a bilateral mechanism to review and explore areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, further deepening the long-standing friendship and collaboration between Malaysia and Timor-Leste.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
