YouSaid · the spoken record

President Ramos-Horta

lines on the record: 54
first: 2009-02-19
most recent: 2012-02-22
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Before coming here - this is not part of my prepared speech - I almost cancelled my trip because a brother-in-law of mine passed away the day before. But I decided to come to New York anyway to share with the Council the good news of what is happening in at least one corner of the world. As I watched the nightly news on Al-Jazeera, the BBC or CNN, and saw the Council try to manage many challenging conflict situations around the world, I thought to myself that maybe I should go, not only to ask for help but to bring those people dealing with these challenges around the world some good news. I do bring good news from Timor-Leste, hoping that before the Council turns shortly to manage other situations, such as that in the Middle East, my news about what the Council and we have achieved will be of comfort.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“It might not be able to save 1,000 lives, but it can try to save at least one life. Too often, regimes fail to seize the opportunities offered them to walk away in safety and with some semblance of honour, save themselves and spare the further suffering of others. And too often, the parties to a conflict miscalculate, underestimate each other and overestimate their respective strength, believing that they can outsmart and defeat their adversary if they just persist, and all they achieve is further suffering of the people. At times, the Council is criticized for failing to act. Sometimes the critics are right; sometimes they are wrong and unfair in their sweeping judgments. But I know that the Council does what it can and as much as it can, because that is the reality of our world.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“This collective security body, set up after the tragedy of the Second World War to spare humankind the scourge of wars, is often called upon to prevent or to end wars. Expectations are as high as the suffering and desperation of those seeking help. Often those expectations are not met in a timely fashion, and people's faith in and illusions about the idealistic United Nations they have imagined in their desperation are shattered. But the sad fact is that too often, there is not much that outside forces can do to influence the course of events in a particular country. But the Security Council can always offer words of support and hope. The Council might not be able to mitigate the suffering of all but it can help some. It might not be able to offer shelter and safe haven to all, but it can accommodate some.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“The Government and all stakeholders will continue to be actively engaged in these discussions to ensure that the best option that emerges is one that is tailored to the specific needs and priorities of Timor- Leste - bearing in mind that, by August 2012, there will be a new Timorese Government that will make the final decision on that matter. In closing, I would like to invite everyone here to Timor-Leste in 2012 to see for themselves how far our country has come, to partake in the anniversary celebrations we have planned throughout the year, and to visit our mountains and swim in our pristine waters. I pray every day to our God, the Almighty and the Merciful, to bestow on the members of the Council the unique qualities of leadership: vision, compassion and courage.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“We meet every other month and have developed a plan for the transition, which the three of us signed on 19 September 2011. The level of engagement on the part of both the Government and the United Nations is steadfast, and I am confident that the plan will be implemented. In January, discussions began between the Government and the United Nations on potential options for the post-UNMIT United Nations role. The emerging consensus is that the United Nations role could include support to further enhance democratic institutions, capacity-building of the security sector institutions, in particular the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste, our national police force, and continued support in areas such as governance, justice and human rights.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“UNMIT, led by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ms. Ameerah Haq, has made real contributions since it was established in 2006, most obviously in the areas of good offices and public security and policing. UNMIT has also provided important assistance in the areas of the rule of law, governance, justice and human rights. By the end of this year, we would like to see peacekeeping come to a close and to form a new partnership with the United Nations. I wish to be clear. We need and want international partnership, underpinned by a modest United Nations mission in line with our country's real needs and adjusted to the evolving reality on the ground. To achieve that, we have established a High-level Committee on Transition, which I chair with the support of the Prime Minister and the Special Representative.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Because I have spoken ad nauseam in my country about this issue, I have not earned the sympathy of the aspiring politicians with my frequent blunt appeal to voters not to waste their votes on the new, smaller political parties. We have ratified all major international human rights treaties and complied with reporting obligations. According to Reporters Without Borders, Timor-Leste has some of the freest media in the region. We are proud that we have a very liberal, humanist Constitution that prohibits the death penalty and life in prison. The maximum prison sentence in Timor-Leste is 25 years. Together, we have developed our vision for national development, and last July we launched our Strategic Development Plan, which will help us translate our vision into reality. Timor-Leste's success is also the United Nations success.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“I must have been doing a very poor job as President over the past four years, since so many people now want to take the job away from me. I am also a candidate among the 13. Twenty-four political parties have registered for the legislative elections - 24 political parties in a country of 1 million. I always tell our people that the United States, a country of 300 million and a super-Power, has two parties. Indonesia, a country of 250 million, has five parties represented in Parliament. With 1 million people, we now have 24 parties registered. I can only hope that the electorate is wiser than the aspiring politicians and cast its votes on a handful of the better known political parties in order to ensure stable, functioning majorities.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative rates Timor-Leste as the best performer in Asia and third in the world in terms of accountability and transparency in the management of our petroleum resources. In the pursuit of good governance and transparency, our National Parliament has enacted an anti-corruption law. We have since created an anti-corruption body. The offices of the Ombudsman and the investigative powers of the Prosecutor-General have been strengthened. Both have seen robust investment in organization and training. We have a dynamic multiparty democracy, with nine parties represented in the National Parliament. Almost 30 per cent of elected members of Parliament are women. Several women hold key ministerial portfolios. Thirteen candidates have now been confirmed for the presidential election on 17 March.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Access to clean water, sanitation, public health and education are key priorities that demand more robust investment now and in the years to come. As the UNDP Human Development Report and other indicators show, we have rebounded strongly from the brief periods of instability. The political situation in Timor-Leste in recent years has been remarkably free of tension. Ours is an open society. Transparency in our public life is a process that we have committed ourselves to promoting and to deepening, with the assistance of the international community. As many here know, Timor-Leste is fortunate in that it is relatively rich in mineral resources. We have a petroleum fund that is carefully managed to ensure that it shall benefit Timor-Leste for years to come.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Poverty has seen a significant reduction as its prevalence declined from 49 per cent in 2007 to 41 per cent two years later, according to estimates of the World Bank. But this means that poverty is still high and remains a major challenge. Child malnutrition is extremely high and is an indictment of us all, we the Timorese leaders and our partners. Tuberculosis remains rampant and is our number one health problem. While we acknowledge shortcomings and failures, it is time that our bilateral and multilateral partners, including international NGOs, accept their share of responsibility for the failures in this very critical field. Our public administration is still lagging on procedures and lacking qualified human resources. We are committed to improving efficiency in budget expenditures and State investment in basic infrastructure.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“With the support of the Nippon Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the commitment and dedication of its patron, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy, the incidence of the disease in Timor-Leste is now less than one case per 10,000 people. Leprosy is considered by the WHO to have been medically eliminated in Timor-Leste, for the first time in centuries. Here, I wish to duly acknowledge the generous contribution of the European Commission, our second- largest development partner. Other bilateral donors, public and private, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations agencies have all contributed generously, and we are forever grateful to all. However, as proud as we are of our achievements thus far, we are also very aware of the daunting challenges still to be overcome.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“School enrolment in Timor-Leste has jumped from a modest 63 per cent in 2006 to over 90 per cent for basic education, according to the 2010 national census. In the past three years, close to 200,000 adults have graduated from illiteracy to functioning literacy, and Timor-Leste will proclaim full adult literacy by 2015. In the health sector, as in the adult education sector, significant progress has been made, with much of the credit going to Cuba. Infant mortality and the mortality of children under five years old have all been dramatically reduced. Incidences of malaria and dengue and the prevalence of poverty have decreased. There cannot be a nobler mission than that of rescuing our fellow human beings from the centuries- old illness of leprosy.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Ten years on, we can draw some satisfaction from the fact that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report of October 2010 accorded Timor-Leste a human development index value of 0.502, placing our country in the medium human development category. This was an increase from 0.428 in 2005 and 0.375 at independence. Since 2005, life expectancy at birth in Timor- Leste has increased by more than two years and now averages 62.1 years. The gross national product per capita increased 228 per cent during the same period to over $5,000. Average annual growth has been double- digit for the past four years, and real non-oil gross domestic product growth remains strong.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Within a week of our appeal for assistance in 2006, from 20,000 miles away Portugal deployed by air a company of its elite force, the prestigious Guarda Nacional Republicana, with all the required equipment, including armoured personnel carriers, medical units and more. The Republic of Indonesia has been a good neighbour and a good friend, ensuring that our common borders are kept safe even during the turmoil in Dili. To all, I reiterate our sincere admiration and the eternal gratitude of our people. This is an eventful year for our people. We will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the restoration of independence and will be holding two major elections: the presidential election on 17 March and the legislative election in the last week of June.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Malaysia, a fellow South- East Asian neighbour, displayed true regional and South-South solidarity, impressive professionalism and preparedness in deploying in record time air and sea- borne forces thousands of miles away from its shores. At its peak in 2006-2007, the combined Australia-New Zealand forces present on our soil totalled 3,500 servicemen and women. Today that number is approximately 450. They have not been engaged in operational policing duty since 2009, but have been extremely effective in assisting with humanitarian and engineering training for our defence force.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“I must also state here that we would not have come this far without the generous assistance of the international community, the United Nations through the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), specialized agencies and programmes, our many bilateral partners - large and not so large - and our closest neighbours. Hence, I wish to thank all for their generous and steady engagement with us from 1999 to 2002 and again since 2006. I wish in particular to reiterate our people's gratitude to the Governments and peoples of Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Portugal, who in 2006, in response to our request for urgent assistance, promptly dispatched to our shores a robust force that, working closely with Timorese leaders, succeeded in preventing the worst from happening.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Peace must be built block by block, community by community, and it requires unlimited patience and care every day, every week, through working together, connecting with common people, being accessible to them, listening and communicating, making them feel that leaders do care about their suffering, needs and dreams. Almost five years into my mandate as President and that of the Fourth Constitutional Government led by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, I am both pleased that much has been achieved but sad that too much remains to be realized.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“The peace campaign is enhanced by fast-tracked anti-poverty initiatives, which include building simple homes for extremely poor households, building or refurbishing schools, and supporting income- generating schemes for very poor families. With humility we acknowledge and are conscious that no single person or institution can single-handedly deliver peace, security and stability. It is the work of all of us in Timor-Leste - the Government, political leaders, civil society, churches, and all who are committed to lasting peace. Healing the wounds in communities requires patient effort, with special attention given to the wounds of the soul.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Peace is a process, sometimes a long one - too long. It can be achieved through a formal political process; but, to be sustained, we have to deal with human beings as individuals, communities and real people with traumas, emotions and anger, but also with hopes, with hearts and feelings. In 2009 we launched the Dili-City of Peace vision, an initiative built on a series of monthly dialogues with communities in all regions of the country. Under the slogan "The Road to Peace and National Unity", it included major sports and cultural initiatives - the Mount Ramelau Cultural and Music Festival; the Tour de Timor, which is now in its fourth year; and the Dili International Marathon in early May, which is in its third year - among other initiatives aimed at restoring hope, pride and faith in our people.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“In retrospect, I can only say today that the 2006 crisis could have been averted. It had its origin in minor but unresolved problems in the defence force that were allowed to fester and then spilled over into the police and ultimately into the streets. Today I speak before the Council in very different circumstances. Dili is a bustling city, full of life. Today it is peace that is palpable. Peace has returned to our cities, our communities, our streets, our schools and our homes. My Office took a number of initiatives to address the root causes of the 2006 crisis, and to foster a culture of peace and non-violence, bearing in mind that peace has to grow from within ourselves as individuals, within families and communities. It cannot be achieved by formal agreements and declarations or by Government decrees alone or by police action.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“In that regard, the people of Timor-Leste are committed to ensuring that the prevailing peace and stability continue through 2012 and beyond. I can confirm from my many travels across the country, including to the most remote areas, that the Timorese people are united in our commitment to peace and our desire for a better future. I am very pleased to once again address this body, this time in much happier circumstances than those that prevailed in Timor-Leste in the first half of 2006, when Timor-Leste appeared to be racing towards the edge of an abyss. In May of that year, weeks into the crisis, I hastily travelled to New York to address the Council and to plead with it to urgently assist us in restoring law and order. I said then, in describing the atmosphere in the city, "Dili is a city on the edge; fear is palpable".”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“That was followed by UNTAET, led by our dear and terribly missed friend Sergio Vieira de Mello, and subsequent United Nations missions. In 2006 it was with much regret that I had to return to the Council to ask once again for assistance after civil disturbances affected Timor-Leste. That was a difficult time for me and for our people. However, the events of 2006 have to be put into context. Barely four years had passed since the restoration of independence in May of 2002. Nearly all States undergo those types of traumatic experiences at some point in their histories. The mark of a successful State is that it learns from such experiences and emerges stronger and is determined to ensure that they do not reoccur.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“I would also like to thank Brazil for its previous leadership of the Group. The year 2012 will mark another milestone in our history with the United Nations. I have lost count of the number of times I have walked the halls of the United Nations since 1975. As a point of curiosity, when I first came to the United Nations, Yakov Malik of the former Soviet Union was here. Members can therefore imagine how long I have known the United Nations. I also knew many others who have since passed from the scene or passed away. Between 1975 and 1999, many of my trips to New York were discouraging, but we continued our struggle. Finally, after many years, the vast majority of the population chose independence in the popular consultation administered by the United Nations Mission in East Timor.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“Emilia Pires worked for years in the donors coordinating unit of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in the donors coordinating unit. After studying at the London School of Economics, she served at the World Bank in Gaza, Palestine. With no party affiliation, Mrs. Pires was invited and accepted the challenge of heading the Ministry of Finance for Timor-Leste, and has served in that position for nearly five years. As members can see, like others in my country, those compatriots have had long and rich experience in both the national and international arenas and have served in challenging field missions. At this juncture, I would like to thank the Permanent Representative and Ambassador of South Africa for agreeing to serve as coordinator of the Core Group for Timor-Leste.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“President Ramos-Horta: May I first introduce my delegation. I am accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Emilia Pires; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alberto Carlos; my deputy Chief of Civilian Staff, Mr. Hernani Coelho; and, of course, our Permanent Representative, Mrs. Sofia Borges, whom all members of the Security Council know. Deputy Minister Alberto Carlos has 11 years' experience with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including two and a half years in emergency operations in the Sudan and eight years in Timor-Leste, with two years as head of the office. Mr. Hernani Coelho served four and half years as a policy adviser with the United Nations Development Programme in Timor-Leste, and three years as our Ambassador in Canberra. Mrs.”
2012-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6720 (2012) · source
“That is most surprising in view of the fact that, in 2006-2007, the popularity of our police force was probably zero. This shows the achievements we all have made and the results of the commitment of the Secretary- General and of the Security Council. Our defence force, which also had a low rating for respect following the 2006 crisis, today has an approval rating of 78 per cent. I will not share with the Council my disapproval rating, because it was embarrassingly low. And for those in the media and pseudo-academics with a penchant for inserting cliches like "failing State" into their sanctimonious lectures on my country and several others, I can only say, admittedly with poorly disguised disdain, that we are doing very well, thank you. May God the almighty and the merciful bless us all.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“For those who are quick to make simplistic and sweeping judgements about the perceived failures of the United Nations, 1 am here to testify that we East Timorese owe the United Nations our very existence. A recent nationwide survey of people's perceptions conducted by the International Republican Institute found the following: UNMIT has an approval rate in Timor-Leste of 75 per cent; the Government has an approval rate of 66 per cent. It seems that UNMIT has performed better than our Government. The Prime Minister did better than the rest of the Government - without offence to the Minister for Foreign Affairs sitting behind me - receiving a 79 per cent approval rating. The National Police Force of Timor-Leste received an 80 per cent approval rating.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Nation-building and peacebuilding require vision and long-term, steady commitment. That is true for my country and is equally true for Haiti, Palestine, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries. The list is a very long one. The challenges are always overwhelming and could discourage the weak and the impatient. Only the few who dare to dream and act on their dreams of an ideal abode for all human beings will see the fruit of their dreams. On my part, I will do my best to relieve the burden of the international community and not to betray its trust, as it has been too patient and generous. I will do my best not to fail our people and not to betray their trust.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“In conclusion, what Council members have heard from me are the natural and inevitable challenges facing most developing countries, and in particular post-conflict communities. Nation-building and peace- consolidation are lengthy processes that require the patience and steady commitment of all. In August this year, we will mark the tenth anniversary of the Popular Consultation that not only brought about our freedom but that also saw the complete devastation of our country and the resulting staggering human toll. In the past 10 years, with assistance from the United Nations and our friends, we began the painful process of healing hearts and souls, building bridges of reconciliation among the fractured East Timorese communities, building infrastructure and institutions, creating an economy and building bridges with our neighbours.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“However, with increased Government expenditures since the last quarter of 2007, non-oil GDP has increased dramatically, which will reverse the decline in per capita terms as shown in the Timor-Leste survey of living standards and hence should begin to reduce poverty levels. While poverty levels seem to have increased in the years 2001 to 2006, I believe that Timor-Leste will remain on target to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 if the Government and our development partners continue to work hand in hand to enhance support for rural development, job creation, public health and education. Other highlights from the 2009 budget include vital social programmes to reduce poverty via $96 million in transfers for pensions to support veterans, the elderly and the disabled.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“As regards the fight against poverty, the recent Timor-Leste survey of living standards conducted by the National Statistics Directorate and analysed by the World Bank has revealed that the incidence of poverty increased significantly between 2001 and 2006, from 36.3 per cent to 49.9 per cent. As a result of the decline in the non-oil economy in per capita terms, real non-oil gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 12 per cent in that period, despite the increase in Timor-Leste's oil revenues. The next survey will reveal the impact of the Government policies currently being implemented.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Draft laws regarding witness protection, juveniles, the establishment of an anti- corruption commission, domestic violence and the criminal code are now before the Council of Ministers for review and adoption. Efforts have been made to enhance cooperation between the prosecution and the police. That cooperation has concerned the serving of notifications, the long-awaited transfer of prosecution files to their respective jurisdictions in two districts - Baucau and Oecussi - and the consideration of an overall case management system that will, it is hoped, result in a significant increase in the number of criminal cases processed. A strategy has also been formulated for further reform of the corrections service.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“The handover itself will be of vital importance as a confidence-building exercise for officers of the PNTL, but the Government also realizes that the handover is only one stage in the development of a mature, professional, disciplined and neutral police force with due regard for human rights and the rule of law. I now turn to the justice sector. In 2008, a number of key challenges faced that sector, including insufficient capacity, issues regarding the composition of the Court of Appeal and insufficiently robust institutions. However, despite those challenges, there were some significant accomplishments. The drafting and review of important legislation for the development of the legal framework in Timor-Leste was completed.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“With regard to handover in the districts, decisions will be based on the meeting of four criteria: the ability of the PNTL to respond appropriately to the security environment in a given district; final certification of at least 80 per cent of eligible PNTL officers in a given district or unit to be handed over; the availability of initial operational logistical requirements; and institutional stability. The PNTL and the Secretary of State for Security, together with UNMIT, are finalizing the indicators that will be used to assess the overall criteria. We are also discussing the work ofjoint assessment teams that will determine whether a district or unit has met the criteria.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“The resumption of policing responsibilities by the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) from UNMIT has sparked a call from PNTL officers - ever conscious of their need to be prepared for the eventual full assumption of policing responsibilities from the United Nations police - for greater training and logistical support. The establishment of assessment teams, the handover of districts and the terms of reference for a joint technical team that will monitor the transition process are currently being finalized.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“In December 2008, the Prime Minister and I, with full support from UNMIT, co-hosted a security sector reform and development seminar. The seminar brought together a range of diverse national and international actors to discuss topics such as national security legislation and policy and was an important step in developing a consensus vision on what Timor-Leste would like to achieve in 6 the security sector. Key legislation, such as the national security law, the national defence law and the internal security law, has been drafted.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“With the assistance of UNMIT, and following the signing of the Security Sector Review project between the United Nations and the Government of Timor-Leste, the Government will undertake a comprehensive review of the security sector. A number of activities were undertaken last year to support the strengthening of national institutions. In September 2008, representatives of a broad spectrum of Timorese society, police and military personnel, parliamentarians and Government officials met, in a Government-initiated process to develop the national security policy, at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. In an effort to canvass a broader range of opinions and views, a nationwide survey is being conducted on perceptions of security threats and of the security sector in general.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“I have continued that effort as President, in partnership with the Speaker of our national parliament and with our Prime Minister, and I believe we have achieved much since. Today, we can say with a degree of confidence that many of the divisions within the two institutions have been resolved. That does not imply that all the weaknesses and failings have been overcome. We still have a long way to go in professionalizing and modernizing the two security forces, but I believe we can achieve our most ambitious goals by 2012. In line with the Government's view that "the rebuilding of the national police is a long undertaking, requiring national ownership and continued international assistance", key developments in the area of security sector reform have focused on greater consultation and participation.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Security sector reform and the further development of our national police and defence forces have been my main concerns, and I have made them priorities of my presidency. That commitment had already been demonstrated when I took office as Prime Minister in the midst of the 2006 crisis. Speaking then before our national parliament, I defined my role as that of an army chaplain and pledged to heal the wounds of the country's heart and soul and not to buy more weapons. I made it a priority to heal the wounds within our police and defence forces, between the two institutions and between them and the people. I was aware then - and remain aware - that only a healthy relationship of trust between the two security institutions can ensure that the 2006 crisis will not recur.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“The Ministry, with the assistance of the United Nations, is continuing to address the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the receiving communities, as well as monitoring the situation in receiving communities to ensure that any problems that may arise as a result of the relocation will be addressed in an appropriate manner. The Government, led by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, has, in one year, managed to resolve many of the outstanding problems inherited from the 2006 crisis. Within approximately a year and a half, the situations related to IDPs, petitioners, pensions for the elderly, vulnerable persons and former combatants of the national liberation movement were resolved.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“I added: Or you will be remembered as a small shopkeeper-owner if you are not courageous enough to invest aggressively in the next few years. As the Secretary-General notes in his report (S/2009/72), the events of 11 February 2008 have resulted in a kind of watershed; we have turned the corner. Let me share some facts with the Council. With regard to internally displaced persons, the visible calm and feeling of security in the country have permitted the Government's ongoing success with the national recovery strategy. Fifty-eight of the 60 camps that were open in 2006-2007 have now closed. There are few camps remaining in Dili, which the Ministry of Social Solidarity is working to have closed within the first few months of 2009.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Over the next 10 years, the Government will have to mobilize approximately $5 billion, inter alia to build a new international airport, estimated to cost $700 million; a new port, estimated to cost $300 million; and a modern, first-class network of national and rural 09-24239 roads, estimated to cost between $1 billion and $2 billion. There are no short cuts to development and modernization, and there are no miracles. I have told my good friend Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao: Be audacious, courageous, decisive and take risks, and you will be remembered as a Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore or a Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia - leaders of vision and courage who have transformed the conditions in their countries from conflict and poverty into peace and prosperity in one generation.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“However, we believe that, even if we are able to operate with gas and wind energy, Timor-Leste will continue to need supplemental support in the form of heavy-fuel-based energy. There will be strict monitoring to ensure that the project will be in full compliance with World Bank environmental standards and the Kyoto Protocol. An international tender will be announced shortly for an independent consultant to oversee the implementation of the project in all its technical aspects as well as in terms of environmental impact.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“As a further incentive, the Government purchases locally produced, non-perishable produce, such as rice, corn and beans, above international market prices. The purchased items are redistributed to hospitals, schools and vulnerable groups. As a result of timely and proactive Government intervention, Timor- Leste was able to avoid social unrest and instability and the further deterioration of the livelihood of the poor. In the 2009 budget, $205 million was allocated for major capital development projects, including the building of a new national electricity project to provide reliable and cheap electricity to the whole country within two or three years. This is a heavy-fuel-based power plant with new transmission lines that can be switched to gas and Wind power.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Apart from our continued firm commitment to investing in education and health, the 2009 budget shows that the total amounts allocated to agriculture and infrastructure - $34 million and $130 million, respectively - have increased substantially compared to previous years. The food crisis of 2007 and 2008 was a wake-up call for all of us. In a number of comments then, I said that we must not always react to crises with fear and despair but that we must rather seize them as opportunities. In Timor-Leste, the food crisis prompted the Government to refocus attention on the agricultural sector, increasing investment in the provision of high- yield seeds, tractors and hand tractors, enabling farmers to learn new farming techniques and expanding food production.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“With a 2009 budget of $680 million and $200 million in donor programmes, I believe we will be able to maintain double-digit growth in spite of the international financial crisis. Why and how do I make such an optimistic prognosis for our economy in 2009? We are an importing nation, importing cement, steel and basic foodstuffs like rice. While our petroleum revenues will be significantly reduced, so will our import bill as commodity prices fall. We have strong liquidity - more 09-24239 than $4 billion - in our Petroleum Fund, which can be drawn upon to support continued investment in strategic sectors of the economy and thus to fuel economic growth and relative wealth.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“The atmosphere in the streets of Dili is far less tense". Incidents ranging from assault to homicide have significantly declined since 2007; they are less frequent than in previous years and even less frequent than in some more established democracies. For instance, a United Nations compilation of data comparing incidents of assault reveals that in 2008 there were 169.1 assaults per 100,000 people in Timor- Leste, while there were 796 cases recorded in two major industrialized countries. During the same period, there were 3.2 homicides per 100,000 people in Timor- Leste and 5.6 in a major industrialized country. Our economy is doing very well, exhibiting real growth of more than 10 per cent at the end of 2008.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“In my view, the International Stabilization Force that comprises contingents from Australia and New Zealand should continue its mandate in tandem with that of UNMIT. I am here today amid a very different, more positive and promising scenario. In mid-2006, our country was sucked into the most serious challenge and the greatest danger seen since 2002. As a result, our vulnerable economy, which had shown signs of recovery in 2005, contracted into negative growth. But as the crisis eased by the end of 2006, 2007 saw some robust recovery, with non-oil gross domestic product estimated to have grown 8 per cent in real terms. Today, Timor-Leste is at peace. The most recent report on the situation in Timor-Leste by International Crisis Group concluded that "security in Timor-Leste is strikingly improved. Armed groups are no longer at large.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Their prompt response and the expeditious deployment of troops with credible force and equipment can be classified today as a remarkable success and as having set a new precedent in peace-enforcement history. In August 2006, the Security Council established UNMIT, equipped with a robust police component but without a peacekeeping force with airborne and extraction capabilities. As Malaysian and Portuguese formed police units integrated with the new UNPOL, we negotiated with Australia, New Zealand and the United Nations a unique trilateral arrangement that remains in force today and has proved to be extremely effective. I wish to register my appreciation for the forthcoming decision of the Council to extend UNMIT's mandate until February 2010, as contained in the draft resolution that the Council will be considering.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source