Dionisio Babo Soares New Ambassador of Timor-Leste as Permanent Representative to the UN

DILI, www.news-viptv.com – The President of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta has appointed Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste to the position of Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the Permanent Representative to the UN.

Dionisio Babo was appointed at the same time as 5 other Ambassadors who were also appointed by President Ramos-Horta, namely Antonio da Conceição as Ambassador to Indonesia, Maria Angela Guterres Viegas Carrascalão (Brazilian Federativa Republic), Filonimo Aleixo da Cruz (Laos Popular Democratic Republic), Chloe Dindo (Vatican), and Alexandre Vital da Cruz Araujo (Republic of Singapore).

“This position is very important for bilateral relations between Timor-Leste, you must be serious in carrying out relations with the country you live in. The Ambassador must prioritize multilateral and bilateral relations,” said President Ramos-Horta in his speech, Tuesday (12/12/2023), at the Presidential Palace, Dili.

Ambassador Dionisio Babo Soares said, he was very honored and would maintain the trust the country had placed in him in representing Timor-Leste in the place he was given.

“What I intend to do as Permanent Representative to the UN. As a small country Timor-Leste subscribes to multilateralism and maintain friendly relations with all countries around the world,” Babo Said.

In his post, he explained that he would focus on defending Timor-leste’s interest and aims to help the government tackling the national challenges such as lifting our people out of extreme poverty, fighting to secure food security, help resolving child stunting, and maternal care, consolidating democracy, human rights and the rule of law are among the challenges.

“My focus is also on help to promote strengthening our human capacities in all sectors. As a new country Timor-Leste needs to invest a lot on its human capital,” said the former Foreign Affair Minister.

Faced with global crises, he will be including pandemics and climate change that have had a disproportionate impact and are increasingly concentrated in the already fragile and conflict-affected countries of the global South, such as the members of the g7+”, as Timor-Leste’s representative I will call on the international community to invest in the goals of the g7+ nations and their efforts to increase development, stability and resilience and work with other nations to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world.

“I will carry on our policies at the world stage including working towards the need for a reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, since the multilateral security architecture built up over decades is no longer sustainable and not able to resolve the new dynamics within the body. I will work with other member states of the UN to help smoothing global trade in essential products which have been disrupted by the conflict and wars in Europe and the Middle East,” he said.

He also will work to continue show our concerns on climate change, democracy and Human Rights. Timor-Leste has noted that there is lack of inspiring global leaders capable of rallying leaders and citizens to save the planet. This is due to the fact that there is not enough attention being paid to the impact that rising temperatures have on worsening conflicts and violence, especially in small, fragile and vulnerable states.

“I will work to push for unlocking the debt of poor countries  through advocating for debt reduction, the simplification of international financing with lower interest rates and a significant increase in official development assistance will empower these nations to engage in projects that promote the development of clean industries and address the ongoing losses and damages related to climate change, facilitating their efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change,” Babo said.

In line with the appeal of the president of Timor-Leste, he will work to help building a new partnership of equals between all nations namely the super-rich in the North and the countries like Timor-Leste which are on the periphery, with a spirit of mission, around the global causes of nature and human survival.

“In brief, I will strive to defend the national interest of Timor-Leste and be more proactive in cooperation, strengthening friendship relations with other nations and be more active in promoting peace in the world,” he said.

Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares is a University professor in Social and Political Sciences and Legal Studies and is now the Coordinator & senior Adviser on International Relations with the Office of the President of the Republic. He is also the current Eminent Person from Timor-Leste appointed to observe the High Level Task Force on ASEAN Post-2025 Vision (2022-present).

Babo Soares hold various ministerial portfolios in the past including Minister for Justice (2012-2015), Minister for State Administration, Coordinating Minister for State Administration, and Minister for Justice (2015-2017), and Minister of Doreign Affairs and Cooperation.

In addition, he also served as a member of the Superior Council of Defence and Security of Timor-Leste, elected as member of Parliament in the two consecutive legislatures from 2012-2015 and 2017/2018. He is a graduate in Constitutional Law, hold MA Degree in Philosophy and Development Studies from Massey University, NZ (1993-1995), and a PhD in Anthropology from the Australian National University, ANU (2003). Mr Babo Soares also held a number of highly privileged socio-political and legal positions in Timor-Leste’s government, including co-chairman of the Indonesia – Timor-Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship (Portuguese Acronym as CVA) from 2005 to 2008.
Dr. Babo Soares was a founding member of CNRT (Congresso Nacional de Reconstrução de Timor) Party, one of the major political parties in Timor-Leste, led by former freedom fighter Dr. Xanana Gusmao. He was later elected as Secretary-General of the Party (2007-2017). He is the current President of the National Directive Council (CDN) of the party (2018 until now).