Timor-Leste Shares Peacebuilding Experience at the United Nations
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, represented Timor-Leste at the Annual Session of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, as well as at the High-Level Open Debate of the UN Security Council, held on June 19th, 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. During his speech, the Minister shared Timor-Leste's experience in peacebuilding, emphasising the country's journey from conflict to stability and development, and called for a stronger international commitment to fragile states.
The Peacebuilding Commission session, which marked its 20th anniversary, was chaired by Serap Güler, Vice Minister for International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Germany, and had the theme “Lessons from a Success Story in Peacebuilding.” During the session, the Minister emphasised that “Timor-Leste has emerged from the shadows of conflict and despair to stand as a living testament to the possibilities of building peace.” He added that, although it is a small nation born out of hardship, “it offers invaluable lessons to the international community, maintaining hope as it strives to build sustainable peace in the world.”
“Our history is one of hope born of struggle, peace, and resilience built through unity and vision. May this inspire and inform our shared journey towards a more peaceful, just, and prosperous world,” he said.
At the Security Council Open Debate on “Poverty, Underdevelopment and Conflict: Implications for the Maintenance of International Peace and Security,” the Minister urged the international community “to consider revising the current financial architecture to integrate rigorous conflict analysis, support digital infrastructure, and leverage knowledge and investment.” He added that “as a member of the g7+, Timor-Leste has first-hand experience of how deeply socioeconomic vulnerabilities shape peacebuilding efforts.”
The Minister also noted that Timor-Leste “has achieved measurable progress through sustained international partnerships, inclusive policies, targeted poverty reduction initiatives, community-driven development programmes, and strategic investments in rural infrastructure.”
On the sidelines of meetings at the United Nations, the Minister met with the Vice Minister for International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Germany, Serap Güler, for the first official meeting between the current governments of Timor-Leste and Germany. The two sides reaffirmed their historic ties of cooperation and expressed interest in resuming partnerships, with a focus on technical and professional training in metallurgy, metalworking, engineering, and automation.
During the mission to New York, the Minister was accompanied by the Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations, Ambassador Dionísio Babo Soares. After the visit, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation travelled to Brussels, Belgium, for an official visit.
