Timor-Leste
looks forward to successful elections next year and stand ready to strengthen
its relationships as a member of ASEAN.
By Agio
Pereira* – The Diplomat - November 19, 2016
The
article “Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste Prepare for Strategic Elections,”
published November 14 in The Diplomat, opined on the likelihood of
Timor-Leste’s early accession into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) while omitting to take into account significant milestones achieved by
the country over the past eight years.
Timor-Leste,
located in Southeast Asia – recognized as a sovereign state by all ASEAN
members and ready to abide by the Charter and willing to carry out the
obligations of membership – already fulfills all the membership criteria
stipulated in Article 6 of the ASEAN Charter. In recent years, embassies have
been established in all ten ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste already
participates in ASEAN Regional Forum meetings and workshops.
From
the restoration of independence in 2002, regional integration has been a
foreign policy priority evidenced by Timor-Leste’s active participation in
forums such as the annual Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, the Jakarta Defense
Dialogue, the Bali Democracy Forum, the Bali Process, the Southwest Pacific
Dialogue, and more. On the international front, the country pioneered the
G7+ group and has just finished its two-year leadership role in the
Community of Portuguese Language Countries, representing nine countries
and over 250 million people.
Timor-Leste’s
ASEAN National Secretariat has rolled out comprehensive awareness and capacity
building programs to ensure that the country ticks all the boxes for
integration with ASEAN. This year, Dili hosted the 2016 ASEAN Peoples’ Forum,
the largest annual gathering of civil society from the region.
On
the human and economic development front, Timor-Leste has made notable gains.
A
recent report by the World Bank indicates that “Timor-Leste
is facing an outlook starkly different to its recent past. Previously one of
the most oil-dependent countries in the world, it could become a post-oil
country in as little as five years’ time.” The same report observes that
the government’s “reform efforts are beginning to show results, with a pipeline
of FDI [foreign direct investment] emerging.”
The
World Bank forecasts Timor-Leste’s economy to clock 5.0 and 5.5 percent growth
in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
In
the Boston Consulting Group’s 2016 Sustainable Economic Development
Assessment, Timor-Leste ranked 7th of 160 states for making the most
progress in converting economic growth into well-being. A major study
announced at the United Nations this year and published in the medical journal The Lancet rated
Timor-Leste the “most improved” of 188 nations in the health-related
Sustainable Development Goals index for the period 2000-2015.
The
government’s faithful implementation of the country’s Strategic Development
Plan is delivering essential infrastructure such as roads, electricity
(72 percent of Timor-Leste’s population now live in households with access
to power), telecommunications, and internet connectivity. A new world-class
port is scheduled to come on line in 2020. Economic diversification, the steady
increase in foreign investment, and the nurturing of small and medium-sized
enterprises ensure that the country’s economy will grow and create jobs and
opportunities for the youth.
The
author of the referenced article framed Timor-Leste as a “struggling democracy”
with “a history of communal violence.” That is unfair. Timor-Leste has been
peaceful for the greatest part of its 14 years as an independent nation. A
flare-up in the early years of independence – a common occurrence in
post-conflict situations – was doused within a relatively short time and the
country returned to calm.
As
for democracy, in today’s context where many countries struggle to mobilize
their citizens to the ballot box to vote, Timorese do not take their democratic
rights – for which they have paid a great price – for granted. Voter turnout is
high. Local elections conducted across the country’s 2,225 villages in October
and November this year were orderly, free, and fair with results accepted by
all. The number of women elected to the position of suco (village) chief
doubled. Timor-Leste has every reason to look to the upcoming presidential and
parliamentary elections in 2017 with confidence and as valued opportunity for
people to participate in the democratic process.
Having
emerged from a long foreign occupation, Timorese leaders of every political
stripe highly value peace and stability as fundamental to the national
interest. The citizenry will not reward those who try to make political gains
by sowing strife.
While
the size of the Timorese economy and market are currently relatively small,
they will grow. Size does not, will not, and should not preclude Timor-Leste
from being brought into the fold of ASEAN, which was created with the view
toward establishing and maintaining peace and stability so that the countries
of Southeast Asia can focus on nation-building and development. It is the
success of this basic vision of ASEAN that has led it to its next iteration as
the ASEAN Economic Community.
Peace,
security, and stability are mutually reinforcing in the neighborhood of nations.
They remain ever relevant and the bedrock of ASEAN. Timor-Leste has emerged
from a difficult history to form a firm friendship with its neighbor and former
occupier, Indonesia. Both countries recognized that mutual respect and support
are necessary for both Timor-Leste and Indonesia to nurture and consolidate
their developing democracies. This has been a remarkable example of
reconciliation and mutual consideration.
Every
country in ASEAN has expressed support for Timor-Leste’s entry into the
grouping. Timor-Leste brings to the table the valuable experience of
peace-building, a link to the Lusophone countries, a bridge to the South
Pacific, and the opportunities of a new and untapped market and destination. The
inclusion of this Southeast nation into ASEAN will further enhance the
stability and prosperity of the region.
*Agio
Pereira is the Minister of State and Spokesperson of the Government of the
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
Image
Credit: Flickr/ Jaya Ramchandani
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