DILI, 12 June 2026 (TATOLI) — President José Ramos-Horta on Thursday received the credentials of four newly appointed ambassadors to Timor-Leste during a ceremony at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, reaffirming the country’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations and international cooperation.
The new envoys accredited to Timor-Leste are Ambassador Khairur Rizal Abd Majid of Brunei Darussalam, Ambassador Sharon Ann Lennon of Ireland, Ambassador Khalid Jassim Alyassin of Kuwait, and Ambassador José Julio Gómez Beato of the Dominican Republic.
Speaking after the ceremony, Ramos-Horta said the accreditation of the four ambassadors marked an important step in Timor-Leste’s efforts to deepen engagement with the international community and expand cooperation with longstanding partners.
“The accreditation of these distinguished envoys from Brunei Darussalam, Ireland, Kuwait, and the Dominican Republic marks a significant moment in our continuing effort to deepen Timor-Leste’s engagement with the world. Each of these nations has shown solidarity and partnership with our young country, whether through steadfast support for our ASEAN journey, historic civil society advocacy, humanitarian assistance, or shared aspirations as islands and post-colonial democracies,” said Ramos-Horta.
The head of state said that Timor-Leste is committed to translating these diplomatic ties into concrete benefits for the Timorese people, sustainable ocean governance, human capital development, economic diversification, and resilient infrastructure. “I look forward to working closely with each ambassador to advance these shared goals,” he added.
The credentials ceremony reaffirms Timor-Leste’s active foreign policy and its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.
President Ramos-Horta is confident that the appointments of the four ambassadors will elevate and strengthen the existing cooperation and friendship between Timor-Leste and their respective countries.
Brunei Darussalam
Ambassador Khairur Rizal Abd Majid is a career diplomat with over 25 years of experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei. He has held key roles within the Ministry, as well as at Brunei’s Permanent Missions and High Commissions. He is fluent in Malay and English.
Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam established diplomatic relations on 20 May 2002. Bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and Brunei focuses on mutual support for ASEAN integration. Brunei has been a steadfast supporter of Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession and its preparations for the 2029 ASEAN Chairmanship. As oil-dependent nations, Brunei shares Timor-Leste’s priorities in resource management and economic diversification. Recent developments include a Memorandum of Understanding on a formal Bilateral Consultation Mechanism signed in May 2026, along with agreements for energy and health cooperation. Timor-Leste remains committed to strengthening relations and fostering fruitful cooperation through enhanced connectivity between governments, businesses, and people-to-people ties.
Ireland
Ambassador Sharon Ann Lennon is a career diplomat with 20 years of experience. She has served in key roles within the Ministry, Embassies, Consulate Generals, and the United Nations. She is currently serving as Ambassador to Indonesia. She holds a Master of Arts in International Politics and a Bachelor of Social Science from University College Dublin. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Timor-Leste and Ireland established diplomatic relations on 31 January 2003. During the 1990s, the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign (ETISC), led by activist Tom Hyland, actively lobbied the Irish government. As both nations are small, deeply Catholic islands that experienced colonization and partition, Irish civil society strongly identified with the Timorese struggle. His Excellency Former President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins was a Patron of ETISC. In March 2003, Timor-Leste became a priority country for Irish Aid. Between 2003 and 2008, Irish Aid provided €20.7 million in support to Timor-Leste. The Government of Ireland co-financed Chega! and Timor-Leste supported Ireland’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2019–2021 term.
Kuwait
Ambassador Khalid Jassim Alyassin is a career diplomat with over 25 years of experience. He has served in several key roles in Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its embassies in Asia and Europe. He has participated in numerous multilateral forums and high-level international meetings. He is currently serving as Ambassador to Indonesia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida (1998). He is fluent in Arabic and English, with some proficiency in French.
Timor-Leste and Kuwait established diplomatic relations on 16 December 2003. Bilateral relations are characterized by historic solidarity and a growing focus on economic development. In 2007, the Kuwaiti Prime Minister visited Dili, where several agreements on technical and commercial cooperation were signed. That same year, Kuwait donated medical supplies valued at over US $1 million and provided five new ambulances as part of humanitarian assistance. During President Ramos-Horta’s first term in office (2007–2012), Kuwait donated 10 BMW vehicles and 2 armored vehicles for the Presidency’s protocol services. President Ramos-Horta ordered several of these vehicles to be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEC). The Presidency kept only 2 of the donated vehicles, which he never personally used. In May 2023, the Timor-Leste Council of Ministers approved a draft resolution to establish a Joint Committee with Kuwait, tasked with coordinating policy and monitoring cooperation in trade, investment, and finance.
Dominican Republic
Ambassador José Julio Gómez Beato is a Dominican diplomat, lawyer, and politician. He has served as Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the People’s Republic of China since 2025. Previously, he was Deputy Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy at MIREX (from August 2020) and is Secretary of International Cooperation for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). He holds three bachelor’s degrees (Law, International Relations, Political Science) and three master’s degrees (International Trade, International and Diplomatic Studies, International Public Law and International Relations). He also studied Public Management Leadership at Barna Management School and Georgetown University, has completed multiple diplomas and speaks Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese.
Diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and the Dominican Republic were established on 24 October 2007. In 2021, the two nations reaffirmed their ties by signing a joint communiqué at United Nations Headquarters, underscoring their commitment to ongoing diplomatic engagement. As two half-island nations and post-colonial democracies, both countries share priorities in economic diversification, climate resilience, and natural resource management. A draft Memorandum of Understanding on a Political Consultation Mechanism has been agreed and is ready for signature, alongside a finalized visa waiver agreement. These documents will serve as the basis for strengthening bilateral cooperation and relations between Timor-Leste and the Dominican Republic.
TATOLI
