Timor-Leste participates in the 78th United Nations General Assembly
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Minister of Health, Elia A.A. dos Reis Amaral, are accompanying the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, as he travels to New York on the occasion of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and a series of associated meetings and events. This year's High-level General Debate will occur from September 19th to 26th, 2023.
The theme of the 78th session of the UNGA is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.
The President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, in his speech delivered on September 21st, 2023, described Timor-Leste as “a young, imperfect, vibrant democracy, an oasis of peace, tolerance and freedom, a shining light of democracy” and stated that “in 20 years since independence, Timor-Leste's economic and social indicators show significant progress, namely in life expectancy, and in the reduction of poverty and infant mortality”. 
In his speech, he highlighted the main national challenges and progress. He assured that “lifting our people out of extreme poverty, food insecurity, child stunting, and maternal care are among the challenges we are determined to tackle in the next five years”. He added that Timor-Leste is “strengthening its human capacities in all sectors, both to prepare for ASEAN membership and to promote further the cause of gender equality and human rights in Timor-Leste and the region”.
Regarding ASEAN, the President of the Republic expressed his gratitude “for the unanimous decision of ASEAN leaders to grant Timor-Leste observer status” and for the “unanimous support for Timor-Leste's accession, the comprehensive roadmap [to prepare for full membership] and the support package for capacity building of our officials”.
He also pointed out that “negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation are in their final stages”, that “accession in 2024 is eagerly awaited”, and that “Timor-Leste is an active member of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries - CPLP” and “co-founder of the international g7+ group”. 
Faced with “global crises, including pandemics and climate change that have had a disproportionate impact and are increasingly concentrated in the already fragile and conflict-affected countries of the global South, such as the members of the g7+”, the Head of State called on the “international community to invest in the goals of the g7+ nations and their efforts to increase development, stability and resilience” and said that “armed conflicts are proliferating, economic and social conditions are worsening around the world, and the children of the Myanmar, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Democratic Republic of Congo tragedies, to name but a few, are forgotten”.
The President of the Republic addressed the current situations in Palestine, Cuba and Western Sahara, as well as in Myanmar and North Korea, “two of the most flagrant examples of anachronisms in an era of advances in science and technology and of freedom, political and intellectual liberties” and defended the need for a reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, because “the multilateral security architecture built up over decades is obsolete”. He also condemned “the invasion, the violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the ongoing war with its catastrophic consequences for the Ukrainian people, the Russians and the rest of the world, with the disruption of global trade in essential products”.
Concerning climate change, José Ramos-Horta regretted the “lack of inspiring global leaders capable of rallying leaders and citizens to save the planet” and claimed that “not enough attention is being paid to the impact that rising temperatures have on worsening conflicts and violence, especially in fragile and vulnerable states”.
He argued that “the combined efforts to unlock financing through debt reduction, the simplification of international financing with lower interest rates and a significant increase in official development assistance will empower these nations to engage in projects that promote the development of clean industries and address the ongoing losses and damages related to climate change, facilitating their efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change”.
“In this digital age, with the emergence of high-capacity artificial intelligence, millions of human beings, in particular women and children, continue to suffer in conditions of extreme poverty and deprivation of basic freedoms”, for this reason, the Head of State argued that “the billionaires of the rich North and the billionaires of the rich South must converge around a Global Fund for Education and Health, and an Energy Transition Regime, sharing innovations, taking advantage of the new networks and spaces of global communication”.
José Ramos-Horta ended his speech with an appeal “to build a new partnership of equals between the super-rich in the North and us on the periphery, with a renewed spirit of mission, around the global causes of nature and human survival. Otherwise, we will sink together, rich and poor, weak and powerful”.
In addition to the General Debate, the General Assembly includes a long list of meetings and side events, including a Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ( September 18th and 19th), which looked at implementing the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs.
On September 20th, there was a high-level dialogue on Financing for Development, a Summit on Climate Ambition and a high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
Today, September 21st, the preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Future and a high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage took place. Tomorrow, September 22nd, there will be a high-level meeting on the Fight against Tuberculosis.
This meeting, which brings together world leaders from around the world and its various side meetings and events, provides an opportunity to promote Timor-Leste's national interests and interact with other global leaders.
The UNGA is one of the six bodies that make up the UN and brings together the 193 member countries that make up the UN. The event is held annually at the UN headquarters in New York and is attended by diplomats, heads of state and heads of government from all over the world.
Since Timor-Leste's admission as the 191st member of the United Nations on September 27th, 2002, the country has actively participated in the UN's annual General Assemblies, promoting its interests and contributing to global debates on peace, security and development issues.
The Timorese delegation also includes the Chief of Staff of FALINTIL-FDTL, Lieutenant General Falur Rate-Laek, the Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the UN, Karlito Nunes, the Head of the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic, Jesuina Maria Ferreira Gomes and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and currently advisor to the International Relations services of the Presidency of the Republic, Dionísio Babo Soares.
