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“Charting a Resilient Horizon: Blue Economy, ASEAN Integration and Coordinated Action”

 

Speech by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
25 May 2026

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Australia’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Richard Marles, paid an official visit to Timor-Leste to participate in celebrations marking the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence, observed on May 20^th, 2026. During the visit, he met the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta; the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; the Minister of Defence, Donaciano da Costa Gomes “Pedro Klamar Fuik”; and other members of the Government, to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries. 

During the visit, the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas; the Minister of Defence, Donaciano da Costa Gomes “Pedro Klamar Fuik”; and the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco Monteiro, met with Richard Marles at the Government Palace in Dili.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation between Timor-Leste and Australia, as well as issues of mutual interest, including defence and security cooperation, regional and international developments, and monitoring Timor-Leste’s national development process.

Richard Marles expressed the Australian Government’s willingness to continue supporting Timor-Leste across various areas of cooperation, in line with the country’s priorities and needs, and acknowledged Timor-Leste’s progress over the past 24 years.

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão said that “Australia is following Timor-Leste’s development” and added that the neighbouring country “is ready to support Timor-Leste when necessary.”

Richard Marles also noted that he considers Timor-Leste “a peaceful nation with a strong vision for the future” and highlighted the progress achieved since the restoration of independence.

As part of his official visit, Richard Marles also met the Minister of Defence to discuss strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, including the possibility of signing a bilateral agreement to deepen future cooperation and strengthen mechanisms for defending shared interests.

The parties also discussed cooperation within ASEAN, including joint participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and its specialised working groups, following Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN in 2025.

During his visit, Richard Marles congratulated the people of Timor-Leste on the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence. They reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to further developing its bilateral partnership with Timor-Leste.

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On May 20^th, 2026, the groundbreaking ceremony for the International Convention Centre was held in the old port area of Dili, as part of celebrations marking the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence and Timor-Leste’s preparations to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029. 

The President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta; the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; the Vice-President of the National Parliament, Duarte Nunes; members of the Government; the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn; the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Australia, Richard Marles; former Indonesian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda and Marty Natalegawa; the diplomatic corps; and other guests attended the ceremony.

The project, approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on April 8^th, 2026, provides for the construction of a facility to host ASEAN meetings during Timor-Leste’s presidency of the organisation, including the Summit of Heads of State and Government, as well as other large-scale events.

The new International Convention Centre will be built in the old port area on the waterfront of Dili Bay. It will comprise a main building housing conference rooms, auditoriums, and exhibition halls. The complex will also include leisure and tourism facilities, such as a pedestrian promenade along the pier, an aquarium, and an entertainment and retail area.

During the ceremony, the Prime Minister said the project stems from the 9th Constitutional Government’s vision to prepare Timor-Leste for new regional responsibilities. “In 2029, Timor-Leste will chair ASEAN, which is why we are here to launch this vision and this commitment,” said Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn welcomed the launch of the project and noted that the International Convention Centre will serve as a platform for dialogue, partnership, and regional integration, as part of Timor-Leste’s preparations for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029.

Construction is scheduled for completion on May 20^th, 2028.

 

The Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Kao Kim Hourn, paid an official visit to Timor-Leste to participate in the celebrations marking the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence and to hold meetings with the Heads of State and Government regarding the country’s full integration into ASEAN. 

The visit marked Kao Kim Hourn’s second official trip to Timor-Leste and his first since the country formally joined ASEAN as the regional organisation’s 11th member state in October 2025.

During the visit, Kao Kim Hourn met the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta; the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The meetings focused on Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN, preparations for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN presidency in 2029, and the strengthening of regional cooperation.

At the meeting with the Prime Minister at the Government Palace, the ASEAN Secretary-General reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s development and its full integration into regional structures. The Head of Government highlighted the opportunities for cooperation that ASEAN can offer, particularly in the areas of the economy, investment, trade, and regional connectivity.

Kao Kim Hourn also congratulated the Prime Minister on his leadership and expressed confidence in Timor-Leste’s preparations to assume ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship in 2029. The Secretary-General further noted that Timor-Leste is already actively participating in regional ASEAN discussions, including at the organisation’s recent 48th Summit.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, described the visit as historic, noting it occurred after Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN. During the meeting with the Secretary-General, they discussed national contributions to the three pillars of the ASEAN Community (Political-Security Community, Economic Community, and Socio-Cultural Community), as well as institutional and infrastructure preparations for Timor-Leste’s 2029 chairmanship of the organisation.

The ASEAN Secretary-General reaffirmed the ASEAN Secretariat’s ongoing support for Timor-Leste, including technical assistance, institutional capacity-building, and regional coordination.

On May 20^th, Kao Kim Hourn participated in the celebrations in Dili marking the 24th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s Restoration of Independence. The ASEAN Secretary-General’s presence at the celebrations signalled recognition of Timor-Leste’s journey towards peace, stability, development, and state-building, as well as its growing role within ASEAN as the organisation’s newest member state.

During the visit, the ASEAN Secretary-General also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Timor-Leste International Convention Centre in Dili, which was presided over by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. On that occasion, Kao Kim Hourn congratulated Timor-Leste on this milestone, noting that the new infrastructure will help strengthen the country’s capacity to participate in and host regional cooperation initiatives within the ASEAN framework.

Vice-Prime Ministers Francisco Kalbuadi Lay and Mariano Assanami Sabino, Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Rangel, and Vice Minister of Trade and Industry Augusto Júnior Trindade also attended the official meetings.

On May 20^th, 2026, President José Ramos-Horta chaired the official ceremonies marking the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, held at Tasi-Tolu Square in Dili, attended by key state officials, members of the Government, diplomatic representatives, and international guests. 

The national flag-raising ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão; the President of the National Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay; the President of the Court of Appeal, Afonso Carmona; and by Australia’s Vice Prime Minister, Richard Marles, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn, who were guests of honour.

In his official address, the President paid tribute to the Veterans of National Liberation and honoured the historic leaders of the Timorese resistance, highlighting the nation’s journey from the restoration of independence in 2002 to the present.

The Head of State also highlighted the role of Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão as “the restorer of the Motherland, whose leadership, beginning in 1981, rescued the resistance from major military and ideological setbacks and led us to the realisation of our first dream—the liberation of the Motherland.” José Ramos-Horta also expressed his “sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister (…) and to all those who have worked with dedication and a sense of duty to make this important step towards the consolidation of our democracy possible.”

José Ramos-Horta stated that “Today’s Timor-Leste is, without a doubt, a different country from the one we found at the beginning of this century” and described it as “an oasis of peace, tranquility, security, and tolerance in a world at war.”

The Head of State highlighted progress across human development, education, health, infrastructure, electrification, and the country’s growing international standing. Drawing on data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2025, he noted that Timor-Leste achieved a Human Development Index of 0.634, placing it in the medium human development category.

In education, he highlighted the expansion of higher education, which grew from one university and about 3,000 students in 2002 to 20 universities and approximately 69,000 students in 2026. He also noted that Timor-Leste currently has more than 200 PhDs, about 1,400 master’s degree holders, and more than 49,000 bachelor’s degree holders, with the Government awarding more than 11,700 scholarships between 2011 and 2025.

On health, the President of the Republic noted that the country had increased its number of doctors from 19 in 2002 to more than 1,000 in 2026, and also highlighted the elimination of malaria in Timor-Leste, as declared by the World Health Organisation in 2024.

In infrastructure, José Ramos-Horta highlighted the expansion of the national road network to approximately 7,500 kilometres, with roughly 95% of the main road corridors paved, as well as investments in electrification, airports, ports, and other public infrastructure.

The President of the Republic congratulated the 9th Constitutional Government on its continued investment in infrastructure and the maintenance of public works, and highlighted progress in strengthening energy sovereignty and developing projects related to natural resources, including Greater Sunrise.

On regional integration, José Ramos-Horta noted that Timor-Leste became a full member of ASEAN in October 2025 and remarked that the country’s future chairmanship of the organisation in 2029 “represents a major challenge but also offers opportunities that were unimaginable just a few years ago.”

The celebrations marking the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence also included military ceremonies, a national television broadcast of the events, and the lowering of the national flag at the end of the day, which was officiated by the President of the National Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay.

The celebrations took place from May 17^th to 20^th, 2026, featuring cultural activities, religious ceremonies, tributes to the nation’s heroes, and commemorative events nationwide.