Government of Timor-Leste

Ambassador Maria Helena Pires officially presented her credentials to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, to act as the Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations. This ceremony took place on April 12^th, 2016, in New York (United States of America).

Together with the Ambassador of Timor-Leste, the representatives of Indonesia, Canada, Grenada and Kyrgyzstan also presented their credentials.

After the ceremony, the Timorese Ambassador had a courtesy meeting with the United Nations Secretary General. Ban Ki-Moon congratulated the Ambassador and talked for a moment about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change (the Paris Agreement, which was signed on April 22^nd, 2016) and other issues related to gender equality.

Regarding these subjects, Maria Helena Pires said that the Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations is ready to maintain and to strengthen the cooperation with the United Nations, namely on issues such as the SDGs, climate change, peace, international security and human rights.

At the ceremony of the presentation of credentials, the Timorese Ambassador was accompanied by her husband, Zacarias Albano da Costa, and by the Counselor of the Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations, Júlio da Costa Freitas. For his part, the Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was accompanied by his wife, Yoo Soon-Taek.