Minister of State H.E. Agio Pereira, has represented Timor-Leste at a High-Level Dialogue on “Building Sustainable Development and Sustaining Peace” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The Minister was invited to participate in the Dialogue by the President of the General Assembly for the 71st Session, H.E. Peter Thomson.
Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. António Guterres opened the High-Level Dialogue convened on the 24th of January. Minister of State Pereira spoke during the “High-level segment and plenary debate” regarding Timor-Leste’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, progress in implementation and the particular importance of Goal 16 to nations like Timor-Leste and 
other members of the g7+.
He noted that Timor-Leste’sstory “laid bare the some of the deficiencies of the MDG paradigm” and highlighted changes that were needed “if the new agenda was intent on not leaving anyone behind.”
“The overwhelming lesson of our short history since the restoration of our independence in 2002” he said“was that development suffers in the absence of peace.Without a focus on strengthening the foundations of peace, fragile states would again be at risk, and risking being left behind.”
High-level representatives from Belarus, Colombia, France, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Sri Lanka and Switzerland also contributed to the plenary session.
The Minister of State met with the President of the General Assembly H.E. Peter Thomson on the day prior to the event, where they 
discussed the progress of the Conciliation Commission, the Sustainable Development Goals and the upcoming UN Conference on the Ocean. The President thanked the Government of Timor-Leste for its valuable contribution to the trust fund. Minister Pereira also undertook media engagements including an interview with UN Radio.
The participation of Timor-Leste gave an important and contrasting perspective at this United Nations event on the Sustainable Development Goals.
………
Photo Captions
General Assembly Holds High-level Dialogue on Building Sustainable Peace for All
A wide view of the Trusteeship Council Chamber during the General Assembly high-level dialogue on “Building Sustainable Peace for All: Synergies between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustaining Peace Agenda”.
24 January 2017
United Nations, New York UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Assembly President Meets Minister of State of Timor-Leste
Peter Thomson (left), President of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly, meets with Agio Pereira, Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Timor-Leste.
23 January 2017
United Nations, New York UN Photo/Manuel Elias
Assembly President Meets Minister of State of Timor-Leste
Peter Thomson (right), President of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly, meets with Agio Pereira (centre), Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Timor-Leste. Also pictured, Maria Helena Lopes de Jesus Pires, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the UN.
23 January 2017
United Nations, New York UN Photo/Manuel Elias