DILI, 21 february 2026 (TATOLI) – President and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, embarked on an official visit to Geneva and Paris, from 22 to 25 february 2026.
This underscores Timor-Leste’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism, human rights while continuing to strengthen bilateral ties with the French Republic.
On 23 february, President Ramos-Horta will deliver a keynote speech at the 61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
His agenda includes a courtesy meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk, and with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), reinforcing Timor-Leste’s dedication to advancing global public health resilience.
In a gesture of diplomatic outreach, the Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste in Geneva will host an official lunch, bringing together representatives from ASEAN and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), alongside other dignitaries and friends of Timor-Leste participating in the Human Rights Council session. The visit will also include a dinner with CPLP heads of delegation.
Following his engagements in Switzerland, President Ramos-Horta will travel to Paris for an official working visit on 24 February and will meet H.E. President. Emmanuel Macron, at the Élysée Palace on Wednesday, 25 February. The discussions are expected to focus on reinforcing bilateral cooperation and addressing shared global challenges, including climate action and cultural diplomacy.
Ramos-Horta said: “In Geneva, we return to the moral conscience of the world—the United Nations—to affirm that human dignity is not a luxury but the foundation of peace. My meetings at the Human Rights Council and with the WHO are a continuation of our conviction that a just world is a healthy and free world. In Paris, my meeting with President Macron will be an opportunity to deepen the friendship between our two republics and to explore new frontiers of cooperation. Timor-Leste may be small in geography, but we are boundless in our commitment to the family of nations.”
President Ramos-Horta is scheduled to conclude the official working visit in Paris on 25 February and will arrive back in Dili on 27 February 2026.
TATOLI
