DILI, 20 May 2025 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, marked the third anniversary of his second term in office on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, highlighting his achievements, and commitment to elevating Timor-Leste’s presence on the global stage.
President Horta took office at the stroke of midnight on May 19, 2022, in Tasi-Tolu, Dili, replacing his predecessor, former President Francisco Guterres ‘Lu-Olo’.
In his remarks today at the celebration of the 23rd Anniversary of the Restoration of Independence Day 2025, held at the Presidential Palace, Horta contrasted his current term with his previous one (2007–2012), which he said was marked by efforts to restore peace, security, and public trust following the 2006 crisis. He noted that peace and security were restored, and that Timor-Leste launched the National Strategic Development Plan, which helped diversify investments and contributed to average annual economic growth of over 10 percent.
Horta also reflected on his post-presidency years (2012–2022), which were characterized by continued public service both domestically and on the international stage. Notable among his global roles were appointments by the United Nations, including as Special Representative to Guinea-Bissau, Chair of the High-Level Panel on UN Peace Operations, and a member of the Advisory Board on Mediation.
“During the 10 years between my presidential terms (2012–2022), I actively participated in many other activities, notably as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, with the rank of Under-Secretary-General, in Guinea Bissau—a mandate that began in January 2013 and ended on June 21, 2014, with the installation of the newly democratically elected Guinean Parliament,” said Horta. “Immediately afterward, then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon invited me to chair the High-Level Independent Panel on UN Peace Operations, a position I held between 2014 and 2016.”
The Head of State emphasized his long-standing advocacy for Timor-Leste’s maritime boundary rights under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and his role in promoting the country to international investors and tourists.
The President also highlighted his behind-the-scenes efforts to ease political tensions, citing a 2017 intervention in Parliament that allowed former President Taur Matan Ruak to travel to Japan after lawmakers initially blocked the trip.
Horta lamented what he described as a decade of diminished global visibility for Timor-Leste between 2012 and 2022.
“We observed that between 2012 and 2022, Timor-Leste almost disappeared from the international radar, particularly in actions at the level of Head of State and Government, with a few scarce exceptions, carried out mainly by the former President of the Republic and great national leader, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão,” said Horta.
The Head of State said that when he was invited by Timor-Leste’s leaders to run in the 2022 presidential election, he immediately committed to reverse the country’s declined global visibility by “putting Timor-Leste back on the global map, reactivating our diplomacy, and reconnecting with leaders of friendly nations around the world.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to keeping Timor-Leste active in global diplomacy.
Horta said he also made an absolute priority to advance Timor-Leste’s process of accession and full integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): “We are pleased with the unanimous decision of regional leaders to welcome Timor-Leste into ASEAN and with the Roadmap for formal accession, which we hope will be finalized in 2025.”
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
