DILI, 18 March 2026 (TATOLI) – President Jose Ramos-Horta on Tuesday held talks with the United Arab Emirates’ non-resident ambassador to Timor-Leste, Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri, and Counselor Shaima Salem at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, focusing on regional security and new development cooperation.
The discussions centered on pressing regional security concerns in the Middle East, with the president expressing solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and other affected nations.
The head of state reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s commitment to peace and said he intended to leverage his international standing and connections with fellow Nobel laureates to advocate for de-escalation and the return of stability to the region.
A major highlight of the diplomatic visit was the advancement of a significant UAE-funded grant to construct a state-of-the-art accommodation facility for female students. Located in the vicinity of the Presidential Palace, the project will provide 500 rooms of high-quality housing and is expected to be completed by May 2027.
Technical directors are currently on-site to evaluate the grounds, ensuring that the project remains on track to support the educational needs of Timorese youth.
Looking forward, both parties explored expanding bilateral cooperation into the economic, tourism, and health sectors.
A specialized delegation from the UAE is scheduled to visit Timor-Leste in April to further define these partnerships and identify new opportunities for investment.
The UAE expressed their appreciation for the warm relationship between the two nations, emphasizing a shared commitment to making the partnership even stronger in the years ahead.
TATOLI
