UN envoy highlights progress, challenges at donors’ conference for Timor-Leste

The head of the United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste today drew attention to the country’s development challenges and to some of the young nation’s successes as donors gathered in the capital, Dili, for the opening of a two-day pledging conference.

According to Kamalesh Sharma, unemployment in urban areas remains high, particularly among the youth, currently estimated at 43 per cent in Dili and Baucau, the country’s second-largest city. He also said that nearly half of the adult population has difficulty in reading and writing.

“A significant proportion of the population, 41per cent, lives below the poverty line and more than three-quarters of the population is dependent on agricultural activities,” he said.

Despite such sobering figures, Mr. Sharma said it should be recognized that the Government and the people of Timor-Leste have made significant progress in economic and social terms within a short time span. He cited the fact that agricultural production and gross domestic product (GDP) have recovered to pre-1999 levels, and primary school enrolment has reached 95 per cent. He also noted some success in rehabilitating the infrastructure throughout the country, including road repair and the provision of water and power.

Mr. Sharma said that institution-building and human resource capacity-building in the public sector is being undertaken by international civilian advisers, both through 100 “stability posts” and “development advisors” who are provided by donors, either through the UN Development Programme (UNDP) or through bilateral arrangements. He added, however, that the number of development advisors still falls far short of the required level and appealed to all partners to examine how the situation could be redressed.

The donors’ conference, which is sponsored jointly by the Timor-Leste Government and the World Bank, will wrap-up tomorrow with a press conference to report some of its accomplishments.