The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, accompanied the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, at the High-Level Segment of the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which took place on February 23rd and 24th, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. 
The High-Level Segment brought together Heads of State and Government, Ministers, and representatives of United Nations Member States to discuss global human rights priorities, to strengthen international dialogue, and to promote multilateral cooperation.
At the opening session, Timor-Leste reaffirmed its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights and transitional justice, and to strengthening the rule of law. In his speech, the President of the Republic highlighted Timor-Leste’s experience in promoting peace, reconciliation, and remembrance, emphasising the country’s contribution to the international debate on inclusive and resilient societies.
During the session, Timor-Leste condemned all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, calling for the protection of civilians, accountability for perpetrators, and the guarantee of safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
On the sidelines of the High-Level Segment, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation accompanied the Head of State in bilateral meetings with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, Jeenbek Kulubaev; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola, Teté António; and the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
During this visit, an agreement was signed to establish diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and the Kyrgyz Republic, thereby creating a formal framework for bilateral cooperation.