On March 19th, 2026, Ambassador Elisa Maria da Silva was sworn in as Timor-Leste’s Permanent Representative to the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) during a ceremony chaired by President José Ramos-Horta at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace in Dili. The appointment formalises Timor-Leste’s permanent representation to the regional organisation at a time when the country is consolidating its participation following full accession to ASEAN. 
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas; the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes; the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Rangel; and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation attended the ceremony.
Under the Constitution of Timor-Leste, the President of the Republic is responsible for appointing ambassadors, permanent representatives, and extraordinary envoys, upon the recommendation of the Government. The appointment of Elisa Maria da Silva was formalised by presidential decree and follows the conclusion of the term of the previous permanent representative, Natércia Coelho. Elisa Maria da Silva’s name was proposed by the Council of Ministers, at the initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, at the meeting on January 7th, 2026.
Elisa Maria da Silva is a career diplomat with over twenty years of experience in diplomacy, mainly at the regional level. Before this appointment, she served as Director-General for ASEAN Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, overseeing the process that led to Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN in October 2025. Throughout her career, she has also held diplomatic posts in Bangkok, Canberra, and Sydney, in addition to occupying various senior leadership roles within the Ministry.
The new Permanent Representative will be responsible for representing Timor-Leste within ASEAN, engaging with the work of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, liaising with the organisation’s Secretariat, and overseeing the implementation of commitments made in the context of regional integration. Her mandate also encompasses preparations for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN chairmanship, scheduled for 2029.
The inauguration reinforces Timor-Leste’s institutional presence within ASEAN and further promotes the country’s diplomatic efforts towards regional integration.