Security Council team holds talks in eastern district of Timor-Leste

The Security Council delegation visiting Timor-Leste to assess the work of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the tiny nation (UNMIT) today travelled to the eastern district of Baucau for talks with local authorities, political party representatives, UN officials and police officers.

UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters that the discussions in Baucau focused on the needs of the people in the district, one of 13 in the South-East Asian country, and on ways in which the international community can help the Timorese to strengthen their democracy, security and development.

During their meetings with police, the members of the Council delegation reiterated the importance of ongoing collaboration between UNMIT and the police force, saying it will be critical to ensuring the future stability of Timor-Leste, which only gained its independence in 2002.

While in Dili, the national capital, the delegation met with civil society members and local representatives of political parties to gauge the views of the wider community about the work of UNMIT and other UN entities in Timor-Leste and what challenges lie ahead.

The delegation, led by South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, also includes Ambassador Liu Zhenmin from China, Luc Joseph Okio from the Republic of the Congo, Muhammad Anshor from Indonesia, Diana Eloeva from the Russian Federation, Ambassador Peter Burian from Slovakia and United States Ambassador Jackie Wolcott. It began its visit on the weekend and is due to conclude the trip tomorrow.