The Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Céu Brites, is officially representing the State of Timor-Leste at the 18th Session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP18) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which takes place at the United Nations headquarters in New York from June 10th to 12th 2025. This annual meeting brings together representatives of State Parties, civil society organizations and international experts to assess the implementation of the Convention and promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities at a global level. 
In her speech during the opening session, the Vice Minister highlighted the progress made by Timor-Leste since ratifying the Convention in January 2023, reaffirming the country’s commitment to promoting the rights of people with disabilities and strengthening social justice and equality. 
The central theme of this year’s event is ‘Strengthening public awareness of the rights and contributions of people with disabilities to social development, in preparation for the World Social Summit’. The debates are taking place around three sub-themes: ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and strengthening social development policies through innovative financing’; ‘Leaving no one behind: using artificial intelligence as a tool to support inclusion and strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities’; and ‘Recognizing and addressing the rights of indigenous persons with disabilities and their role in promoting disability inclusion. 
Timor-Leste’s participation in this international forum is an opportunity to share experiences and good practices in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with other States and organizations committed to promoting inclusion. 
The Timorese delegation has the support of the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares, the Deputy Permanent Representative, Jesuíno de Oliveira Alves, and Counsellor Licínio M. Branco. The Vice-Minister is also accompanied by members of her staff and the National Director for the Promotion of Persons with Disabilities, among other representatives from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion.