Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, May 2, 2013
Official State Visit to Thailand successful in strengthening global ties
The Prime Minister of of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, has concluded an Official Visit to the Kingdom of Thailand. The Timorese delegation visiting as guests of the Royal Thai Government included Minister of Finance, Her Excellency Emilia Pires, Minister of Education, His Excellency Bendito Freitas, Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Francisco Kabualdi Lay and Secretary of State for ASEAN Affairs, His Excellency Roberto Soares.
Prime Minister of Thailand, Her Excellency Yingluck Shinawatra congratulated Prime Minister Gusmão on his re-election and expressed confidence in his experience and leadership to bring peace and prosperity to the country and the people of Timor-Leste. At a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister, Yingluck said “Today, Timor-Leste has proved to the world that it is in full control of its own destiny after the withdrawal of the UN mission. There is much potential in its economy and tourism which will indeed be developed further through its 20-Year Strategic Development Plan. Thailand will continue to be a supporter and partner of Timor-Leste’s growth and development”
Successful bilateral meetings held during the visit discussed strengthening of partnerships in areas including technical cooperation, trade and investment, energy cooperation, education and regional cooperation in which Prime Minister Yingluck reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to support Timor-Leste’s entry into ASEAN.
Prime Minister Gusmão visited Dusit Palace and the Royal Chitralada Agricultural Project which emphasizes the implementation of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s initiative “Sufficiency Economy”, a distinctly Thai philosophy on economic development. Thailand values this new economics philosophy as a practical tool to effectively manage capitalism in a way that aligns and engages it with practices that are socially sustainable.
Additionally, Prime Minister Gusmão participated in the launch of the United Nations Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and the Pacific, joining top international and national leaders in calling on governments, farmers, scientists, business, civil society and consumers to work together to end hunger in the region where the majority of the world’s undernourished people live.
Prime Minister Gusmão expressed gratitude on behalf of the Government and People of Timor-Leste for the continued support of the Government of Thailand and the Thai People. Currently 100 Timorese students are studying at various universities in Thailand and dialogue is ongoing with Thai officials on how to maximize joint capacity building efforts. Minister of Education, His Excellency Bendito Freitas, met with a group of Timorese students to encourage them in their efforts and discuss their progress.
The Prime Minister also had bilateral meetings with the Deputy Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Jan Eliasson and The President of Myanmar, His Excellency Thein Sein. Myanmar will chair the rotating presidency of ASEAN in 2014. At this meeting the Prime Minister gave President Sein his support for development and pledged to visit the country in the near future.
The visit to Thailand ended with an unexpected honour when Timor-Leste was nominated from 62 Member countries to Chair ESCAP, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission of Asia Pacific. Prime Minister Gusmão accepted the nomination and proceeded to Chair the first meeting under Timor-Leste’s one year term.