President Ramos-Horta embarks on working visit to Tuvalu and Fiji
DÍLI, 04 October 2026 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, embarked on a working visit to Tuvalu and Fiji from 5 to 7 October 2026.
The visit underscores Timor-Leste’s deepening engagement with Pacific Island nations and its commitment to regional solidarity on climate resilience and sustainable development.
The visit will bring the President together with Pacific leaders, climate policymakers, and community representatives to advance shared priorities.
President Ramos-Horta will be received with a traditional welcome ceremony, a significant cultural protocol that honours visiting dignitaries and reaffirms the deep cultural bonds shared across the Pacific. This will be followed by a dinner hosted by Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of Fiji, providing an important opportunity for informal dialogue on bilateral relations and regional cooperation between Timor-Leste and Fiji.
The President will also hold meeting with Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia, focusing on strengthening cooperation in climate action, renewable energy transition, and adaptation financing for vulnerable island states. This engagement reflects Timor-Leste’s strategic partnership with Australia and its commitment to aligning regional climate priorities ahead of global climate negotiations.
President Ramos-Horta will visit the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP) Site 1B, a flagship initiative demonstrating innovative coastal protection measures against rising sea levels.
This visit underscores Timor-Leste’s solidarity with Tuvalu and other small island developing states facing existential threats from climate change, and highlights the importance of international support for adaptation infrastructure in the most vulnerable nations.
The President will deliver remarks at the Sautalaga dialogue under the theme “Taku Pakasoa: Strength in Unity,” a gathering that brings together Pacific leaders, community representatives, and international partners. The Sautalaga serves as a vital platform for collective reflection on climate resilience, cultural preservation, and the power of regional unity.
President Ramos-Horta will also join a post-Sautalaga media moment with the Prime Ministers of Tuvalu, Antigua and Barbuda, and Australia, amplifying the collective voice of vulnerable island nations on the global stage.
President Ramos-Horta will deliver remarks at the Leaders’ Plenary in Fiji and attend the Pacific Resilience Facility showcase event.
The Plenary convenes Pacific leaders to address pressing regional challenges, while the Pacific Resilience Facility represents a critical financing mechanism designed to support climate adaptation and disaster preparedness across the region.
Timor-Leste’s participation reaffirms its active role in Pacific regional affairs and its commitment to innovative solutions for climate-vulnerable communities.
“Timor-Leste may be a small nation, but our voice in the Pacific will always be one of solidarity. Climate change knows no borders, and neither should our unity. I carry with me to Tuvalu and Fiji the firm conviction that together, through Taku Pakasoa—strength in unity we can secure a resilient and dignified future for all island peoples,” said Ramos-Horta.
This working visit represents a continuation of Timor-Leste’s active engagement with Pacific regional affairs and its commitment to the principles of the Pacific Islands Forum. Throughout the visit, discussions will centre on climate adaptation financing, South-South cooperation, and enhanced people-to-people linkages between Timor-Leste and Pacific Island nations.
The President’s participation in these high-level engagements reaffirms Timor-Leste’s role as a bridge between Southeast Asia and the Pacific, united by shared values of resilience, solidarity, and sustainable development. The President will conclude the working visit and return to Dili on 8 October 2026.
TATOLI
