Bilateral meeting with H.E. José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Dili — FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu met with His Excellency José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, during his official visit to the country.

President Ramos-Horta warmly welcomed the Director-General, expressing gratitude for FAO’s continued support. He emphasized that agriculture is a top priority in Timor-Leste’s development agenda, underscoring the need for improvements in seeds, irrigation, rural development, infrastructure, transportation, and financing for the agricultural sector. The President also acknowledged the challenges posed by the unpredictable nature of agriculture and the significant impact of global market fluctuations on local farmers.

The Director-General praised Timor-Leste's considerable untapped potential in key areas, including rice and livestock production, the coffee industry, and aquaculture. He also highlighted the importance of Timor-Leste’s membership in the FAO, emphasizing the Organization’s principles of equity and inclusiveness, where every Member has an equal voice in decision-making. He reaffirmed FAO’s continued support to Timor-Leste to achieve its development goals. 

The President shared insights into the cultural and economic importance of coffee in Timor-Leste, noting that the country produces 100 percent organic coffee, predominantly Arabica. He discussed the volatility of the coffee market and the establishment of a Coffee Fund to stabilize prices and protect farmers' incomes. This fund aims to ensure that Timor-Leste’s coffee, which is highly sought after on the international market, is sold at fair prices, thereby protecting local growers from undervalued sales. President Ramos-Horta also stressed the importance of food security, regional cooperation, and addressing the impacts of global warming, which have led to droughts and other challenges in Timor-Leste. He highlighted the need for access to clean water and its impact on malnutrition and undernutrition in the country. 

The Director-General acknowledged these challenges and suggested leveraging regional expertise, such as with countries like China, India and the Republic of Korea, focusing on areas such as rice cultivation, buffalo rearing, and aquaculture, respectively, to accelerate agricultural development in Timor-Leste. He also invited President Ramos-Horta to the upcoming World Food Forum (WFF) in October 2024 and emphasized the importance of supporting youth and women in Timor-Leste’s development. 

The meeting concluded with a strong mutual commitment to advancing agricultural development and food security in Timor-Leste. The Director-General referred to the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, which focuses on four key areas, namely the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. He also underscored the principle of "walking the talk" to ensure tangible results Timor-Leste's agricultural development.