DILI, 05 June 2025 (TATOLI) – At the Annual session 2025 of the Executive Board: Interactive dialogue with the UNDP Administrator and annual report, Timor-Leste conveyed its sincere appreciation to Achim Steiner for his exemplary leadership and steadfast dedication as UNDP Administrator, which strengthened the UNDP’s position as a responsive, innovative, and forward-looking development partner.
“Under his stewardship, the UNDP has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the principles of sustainable development, multilateral cooperation, and equity,” Ambassador Dionisio Babo Soares, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the UN said in a statement.
He said that Steiner’s leadership has strengthened the UNDP’s position as a responsive, innovative, and forward-looking development partner—particularly for countries in the Global South, including Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), who often face multifaceted and compounding development challenges.
The UNDP has been an indispensable partner in supporting Timor-Leste’s journey towards sustainable development through targeted programs focusing on quality education, democratic institutions and electoral processes, inclusive governance and the rule of law, economic diversification and local development, peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms, and green solutions and environmental sustainability.
“A strong and coordinated UN Development System is critical for enabling countries in the Global South to respond effectively to global challenges and transitions. For LDCs and SIDS like Timor-Leste, this system provides vital technical expertise, catalytic financing, and tailored policy support that helps build resilient institutions and inclusive societies, Soares said.
It is critical to preserve and enhance UNDP’s core resources, which allows the organization to operate flexibly and strategically across diverse contexts as well as mobilize rapidly in response to emergencies and crises.
Developing the new UNDP Country Program Document (CPD) for Timor-Leste has exemplified a collaborative and inclusive process grounded in national ownership, ensuring that it reflects the country’s development vision, aligns with national plans, and remains responsive to evolving socio-economic realities. Its forthcoming implementation reaffirms that development must be locally driven, context-specific, and globally supported.
UNDP’s engagement in Timor-Leste must remain closely attuned to the country’s evolving priorities. This includes deepening support in public sector reform, disaster risk reduction, digital transformation, youth empowerment, and economic diversification—particularly in rural areas.
TATOLI
