DILI, 03 february 2026 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste has assumed the Chairmanship of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group for the 2026–2027 term, taking over from Malawi at a handover ceremony held in Dili.
The transition took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation on tuesday, attended by delegates from LDC member states, representatives of both the outgoing and incoming LDC chairs, officials from the Governments of Malawi and Timor-Leste, representatives of the LDC Secretariat, and advisers from Climate Analytics and the International Institute for Environment and Development.
Ambassador Adão Soares Barbosa, Timor-Leste’s Special Envoy and Ambassador-at-Large for Climate Affairs assumed the Chair of the LDC Group on behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste, replacing the outgoing Chairperson, Evans Njewa of Malawi.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito Freitas said the gathering came at a time of mounting global uncertainty.
“We gather today at a time of profound global complexity,” he said. “The international community is confronted with overlapping and mutually reinforcing challenges—climate change, environmental degradation, economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and growing development disparities.”
Minister Freitas stressed that for the world’s poorest nations, these pressures are immediate and tangible. “For Least Developed Countries, these challenges are not abstract; they are lived realities that directly affect livelihoods, resilience, and prospects for sustainable development,” he said, adding that “effective multilateral cooperation, solidarity, and a strong collective voice for LDCs have never been more essential.”
The minister welcomed delegates to Dili for what he described as “this important technical handover meeting of the Least Developed Countries Group” and paid tribute to Malawi’s leadership over the past two years.
“I would also like to express our sincere appreciation to the Government of Malawi for its dedicated and effective leadership during the 2024–2025 Chairmanship,” he said. “Your stewardship throughout a demanding and complex period has been invaluable, and we commend your commitment to safeguarding the unity, credibility, and effectiveness of the LDC Group, as well as to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition.”
He added: “Timor-Leste is deeply honoured to assume the Chairmanship of the LDC Group for the 2026–2027 term.”
Highlighting the country’s own development journey, the minister said: “As one of the world’s youngest nations, we bring to this responsibility a lived understanding of vulnerability, resilience, and the transformative power of international solidarity.”
Freitas noted that Timor-Leste became a full member of ASEAN last year, describing it as “an important milestone” reflecting the country’s regional integration and its ambition to act as “a bridge between regions.” He said the government is committed to strengthening cooperation between LDCs, ASEAN, the g7+, and the wider international community, and to amplifying LDC priorities across multilateral platforms.
The minister acknowledged the geographical distance between Timor-Leste and many LDC member states, thanking delegates for travelling to Dili. “Your presence here in Dili today, despite the long journeys involved, is a powerful demonstration of solidarity and confidence in Timor-Leste’s leadership,” he said.
He described the handover meeting as “a critical step in ensuring continuity, coherence, and effectiveness as leadership transitions from Malawi to Timor-Leste,” adding that discussions on institutional memory, operational arrangements and the 2026–2027 workplan would be vital to strengthening the group’s collective voice.
The LDC Group represents 46 of the world’s most vulnerable countries within the United Nations system, advocating for stronger international support in areas including climate action, sustainable development and financing.
As the new chair, Timor-Leste has pledged to work “in a spirit of cooperation, shared responsibility, and mutual respect” to advance the interests of the bloc over the next two years.
Ambassador Barbosa pledged to strengthen the voice of LDCs, push for fair access to climate finance, and uphold the principle that no one should be left behind.
In november 2025, Malawi officially concluded its two-year tenure as Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group on Climate Change, formally handing over leadership to Timor-Leste during a high-level ceremony at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
