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Today, 30 August 2024, the National Assembly unanimously approved the granting of Timorese nationality to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, in recognition of his decades of important service to Timor-Leste. This honorary title reflects the important role played by António Guterres in defending Timor-Leste’s self-determination and mobilizing the international community in support of the country’s independence and development. 
The resolution, signed by the President of the National Assembly, Maria Fernanda Rei, underlines the importance of the contribution made by António Guterres at different critical moments in the recent history of East Timor. As Prime Minister of Portugal (1995-2002), Guterres was one of the most prominent defenders of the East Timorese cause in the highest international forums, promoting the 1999 referendum that led to the country’s independence.
“After the violence that followed the referendum, António Guterres played an important role in mobilizing the international community to intervene and establish the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), which paved the way for the country’s full independence in 2002”, the National Presidency stressed in the parliamentary resolution.
During the ceremony, António Guterres said he had assumed the “nationality of a heroic people” and pledged to do everything “to make the Timorese proud of their citizenship”. Guterres also said it was “an honour and a great satisfaction” to be able to return to East Timor, where he first came in 2000, “a visit full of emotion, joy and hope”, and returned in May 2002 to “participate in the historic ceremony of the restoration of independence”.
The Secretary-General also highlighted the fact that the National Assembly is chaired by a woman, which he considered to be a “sign of strengthening the status of women and women’s rights” in Timor-Leste.
António Guterres remembers the night of August 29, 1999 [30 de agosto em Timor-Leste]He said he would never forget the sleepless nights he had spent following the democratic process, stressing that “the people of East Timor have spoken with a clear voice: independence” and the “courage and determination” of the people of East Timor, who “are fully mobilized to defend their self-determination”.
Speaking about the moments after the referendum, Guterres recalled the “tragic weeks that followed” and the “mobilization of hundreds of thousands of Portuguese people in the streets of Lisbon to demonstrate in solidarity with the people of East Timor and to demand international intervention”. The Secretary-General also paid “profound tribute to the East Timorese resistance, to the men and women who participated in it and were committed to it” and recalled the key role played by the United Nations in mediating and organizing the referendum, “for a short time, despite intimidation and threats.”
The UN Secretary-General said: “The world can learn a lot from East Timor, especially at a time when conflict is escalating and geopolitical tensions are rising.”
During his official visit to Timor-Leste, António Guterres was also awarded the Grand Order of Timor-Leste, the country’s highest honour, by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta. This award honours Guterres’s role as a staunch defender of the right of the Timorese people to self-determination, both during his tenure as Prime Minister of Portugal and subsequently as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), now Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the popular consultation that led to the restoration of East Timor’s independence on 30 August 1999 are being held across the country with the attendance of high-level international figures and members of the national Government. The celebrations, under the theme “The people fought! The people suffered! The people won the battle!!! The people are the great heroes of independence!!!”, highlight the fundamental principles and role of the East Timorese people in achieving independence and building their nation.
Celebrations in Dili included solemn events at the Dili Municipal Stadium, the National Assembly, the East Timorese Resistance Archives and Museum and the Rahane Palace.
The full programme of celebrations is available on the Timor-Leste Government portal at: https://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=39114&lang=pt.
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