DILI, 22 September 2025 (TATOLI) – President and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jose Ramos-Horta, officially received the Letter of Credential from His Excellency Duarte Falé Costa de Bué Alves, new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Portugal to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The ceremony was held at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace.
Ambassador Duarte Alves is a distinguished diplomat with a career spanning more than two decades since joining the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1999. His extensive international diplomatic experience includes postings at the Portuguese embassies in Luanda, Brussels, as well as Deputy Representative of Tokyo Permanent in OECD Paris. In Lisbon, Ambassador Alves has assumed significant senior advisory positions within the Government. Prior to his appointment to Timor-Leste, Ambassador Alves served as Consul General of Portugal in Manchester since September 2021. Ambassador Duarte Alves is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, and Italian.
The bilateral relationship between Timor-Leste and Portugal is a deep and multifaceted partnership, rooted in shared history, language, and culture. This link is reinforced by 77 bilateral agreements and a strategic cooperation program that has been active since 2011. Portugal’s indispensable support in critical sectors such as education, justice, and defence, combined with high-level, consistent political dialogue, makes Timor-Leste one of the most vital and sustainable international partners
President Ramos-Horta expressed his confidence that the Ambassador’s extensive diplomatic experience will contribute more strongly to deepening bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and Portugal. The President affirmed, “The partnership between Timor-Leste and Portugal is a fundamental pillar for our country’s development. We highly value Portugal’s support and look forward to working with Ambassador Alves to advance our cooperation in critical areas and further strengthen the unique bond between our people.
The President also expressed Timor-Leste’s gratitude to Portugal for its strong partnership, which is fundamental to the country’s development objectives. The President reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s commitment to strengthen these relations at the bilateral level and in the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
