Foreign relations of Timor-Leste

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After the referendum on independence on 30 August 1999, Timor-Leste became an independent nation on 20 May 2002 and began initiating diplomatic relations with the rest of the global community.

Policy

The foreign policy of Timor-Leste has been defined by its position as a small state surrounded by two much larger powers. Rather than formally aligning with any particular state or bloc, Timor-Leste has sought a diverse set of positive relationships. Upon independence foreign policy was shaped by José Ramos-Horta, who has previously campaigned internationally for East Timorese independence. Ramos-Horta was a proponent of Internationalism, and held sway until 2012. Following elections in 2012, leaders such as Xanana Gusmão and Taur Matan Ruak pursued a slightly more nationalistic foreign policy.[1]: 14–17, 20 

Timor-Leste has pursued membership in a variety of multilateral forums, positioning itself as a reliable international actor. This promotion of international law is tied to the countries own security needs. Its broad global relations are shaped by its history, with its ties outside of its immediate region influenced by Catholicism, and by Portuguese colonial history. Regionally, its relations are influenced by cultural links to nearby regions, as well by the need to ensure security and independence in the light of the power imbalance between Timor-Leste and its neighbours, Australia and Indonesia.[1]: 18–20  Upon independence, it sought membership of ASEAN, despite historical ASEAN support of the Indonesian position and cultural links with Melanesia that were part of the East Timorese identity.[1]: 85 

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Timor-Leste maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# Country Date[2]
1 China 20 May 2002[3]
2 Norway 20 May 2002[4]
3 Thailand 20 May 2002[4]
4 Algeria 20 May 2002[5]
5 Angola 20 May 2002
6 Australia 20 May 2002
7 Brazil 20 May 2002
8 Brunei 20 May 2002[6]
9 Colombia 20 May 2002[7]
10 Cuba 20 May 2002[8]
11 Czech Republic 20 May 2002[9]
12 Egypt 20 May 2002
13 Germany 20 May 2002[10]
14 Ghana 20 May 2002
15 Guinea-Bissau 20 May 2002
— Holy See 20 May 2002[11]
16 Israel 20 May 2002
17 Japan 20 May 2002[12]
18 Malaysia 20 May 2002[13]
19 Mozambique 20 May 2002
20 New Zealand 20 May 2002[14]
21 Philippines 20 May 2002[15][16]
22 Portugal 20 May 2002
23 Russia 20 May 2002[17]
— Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 20 May 2002
24 São Tomé and Príncipe 20 May 2002[18]
25 Singapore 20 May 2002[19]
26 South Korea 20 May 2002[20]
27 Spain 20 May 2002
28 Sweden 20 May 2002[21]
29 Turkey 20 May 2002[22]
30 United States 20 May 2002[23]
31 Canada May 2002
32 Qatar May 2002
33 Bangladesh 7 June 2002[24]
34 Cyprus 12 June 2002
35 Finland 20 June 2002[25]
36 Indonesia 2 July 2002
37 Papua New Guinea 19 July 2002[26]
38 Vietnam 28 July 2002[27]
39 Cambodia 29 July 2002[28]
40 France 29 July 2002[29]
41 Laos 29 July 2002[30]
42 Palau 16 August 2002[31]
43 Vanuatu 21 August 2002[32]
44 Fiji 22 August 2002[33]
45 Chile 16 September 2002
46  Switzerland 16 September 2002
47 Austria 20 September 2002[34]
48 Peru 30 September 2002
49 Belgium 3 October 2002[35]
50 Slovakia 17 October 2002[36]
51 Argentina 11 October 2002
52 North Korea 5 November 2002[37]
53 Poland 18 November 2002
54 Maldives 26 November 2002[38]
55 Tonga 26 November 2002[38]
56 Romania 20 December 2002
— Cook Islands 2002[39]
57 Italy 2002
58 Pakistan 2002[40]
59 United Kingdom 2002
60 Bulgaria 21 January 2003[41]
61 Hungary 21 January 2003[42]
62 India 24 January 2003[43]
63 Ireland 31 January 2003[38]
64 South Africa 3 February 2003
65 Croatia 5 February 2003
66 Denmark 12 February 2003[44]
67 Mauritius 20 March 2003[38]
68 North Macedonia 25 March 2003
69 Slovenia 3 April 2003
70 Greece 4 April 2003
71 Belize 15 April 2003
72 Costa Rica 14 May 2003
73 Cameroon 20 May 2003[38]
74 Malta 20 May 2003
75 El Salvador 23 May 2003
76 Mexico 26 September 2003[38]
77 Ukraine 27 September 2003
78 Namibia 1 October 2003[38]
79 Mongolia 28 October 2003[45]
80 Iran 10 November 2003
81 Netherlands 17 November 2003[44]
82 Iceland 4 December 2003[38]
83 Kuwait 16 December 2003
84 Armenia 23 December 2003
— State of Palestine 1 March 2004
85 Azerbaijan 5 April 2004
86 Samoa 27 July 2004[46]
87 Nigeria 2004
88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22 March 2005[47]
89 Lebanon April 2005
90 Tajikistan 4 October 2005[38]
91 Venezuela 5 October 2005[48]
92 Estonia 21 December 2005[49]
— Sovereign Military Order of Malta 18 September 2006
93 Myanmar 26 September 2006[38]
94 Republic of the Congo 7 November 2006[38]
95 Luxembourg 27 September 2007[38]
96 Dominican Republic 24 October 2007
97 Nicaragua 2 November 2007
98 Uruguay 23 September 2008
99 United Arab Emirates 13 November 2009
100 Cape Verde 18 November 2009[50]
101 Monaco 19 February 2010[51]
102 Montenegro 24 September 2010
103 Ecuador 8 September 2011
104 Andorra 20 September 2011
105 San Marino 7 October 2011[52]
106 South Sudan 13 October 2011[38]
107 Solomon Islands 21 December 2011[38]
108 Georgia 22 December 2011
109 Tuvalu 8 September 2012[53]
110 Haiti October 2012[54]
111 Trinidad and Tobago 24 September 2013[55]
112 Latvia 27 September 2013[38]
113 Lithuania 27 September 2013[38]
114 Jamaica 27 September 2014
115 Belarus 1 October 2014
116 Equatorial Guinea 2014
117 Saudi Arabia 29 January 2015
118 Marshall Islands 25 September 2019[38]
119 Bahrain 27 September 2019
120 Dominica 15 November 2021[38]
121 Serbia 20 December 2021
122   Nepal 11 February 2022
— Kosovo 9 March 2022
123 Oman 30 March 2022
124 Sri Lanka 4 May 2022[38]
125 Paraguay 18 September 2022[38]
126 Panama 20 September 2022[56]
127 Guatemala 3 April 2023[57]
128 Benin 10 October 2023[38]
129 Saint Lucia 8 November 2023[38]
130 Bolivia 26 July 2024[38]
131 Uganda 13 August 2024[38]
132 Jordan 22 November 2024[38]
133 Burundi 19 January 2026[38]
134 Kenya 16 March 2026[58]
135 Sierra Leone 14 April 2026[59]
136 Moldova 14 May 2026[38]
137 Federated States of Micronesia 24 June 2026[60]
Close

Bilateral relations

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
AustraliaSee Australia–Timor-Leste relations

Australia and Timor-Leste are near neighbours with close political and trade ties. For many years Australia implicitly supported the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, giving priority to the policy of maintaining good relations with Indonesia. This policy was however changed in the late 1990s, when Australia began to support the UN. Since then, Australia has played a prominent role in the young republic's history. Australia led the military force that helped stabilise the country after it chose independence from Indonesia in 1999 and also after the internal conflict in 2006 and has been a major source of aid since.

BrazilSee Brazil–Timor-Leste relations

Brazil and Timor-Leste are both Portuguese-speaking and relations are friendly. Brazil has a co-operation program with Timor-Leste, that includes a wide range of areas, including labour policy, justice, national security, culture, agriculture, education, governance, sports, environment and health.

  • Brazil has an embassy in Dili.
  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Brasília.
ChinaSee China–Timor-Leste relations
  • China has an embassy in Dili.
  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Beijing.
GeorgiaGeorgia is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[61]
IndiaSee India–Timor-Leste relations

Relations between Timor-Leste and India date back to the early modern period. Indian traders traveled to the island in search of sandalwood. Trade links increased after the Portuguese colonisation of Timor-Leste and portions of India. The Portuguese set up various garrisoned centres in India to carry out this trade, and all of Portugal's territories in Asia, including Timor-Leste, were governed by the Portuguese Viceroy in Goa. Portuguese-trained Goan missionaries arrived in Timor-Leste in the early 17th century, and were influential in spreading Catholicism in the country. Indians also traveled to Timor-Leste to serve as soldiers, colonial bureaucrats, and missionaries. Some Indians arrived in Timor-Leste in the late 19th century to work as migrant labour. A small community of Timorese nationals of Goan descent trace their heritage back to these previous generations of immigrants.[62]

India was the second country to recognize the independence of Timor-Leste.[62] Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah led a high-level delegation representing India at Timor-Leste's Independence Day celebrations in May 2002. Abdullah presented letters of felicitations from the President, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Foreign Minister. Diplomatic relations between the two countries was formally established on 24 January 2003. At the UN General Assembly in 2003, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Alkatiri announced his country's support for India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.[63]

India diplomats Kamlesh Sharma and Atul Khare served as the Special Representative of Secretary General (SRSG) in Timor-Leste until 2004 and 2009 respectively. India's DPR in New York was a member of the UN Security Council appointed team that visited Timor-Leste in November to assess the situation on the ground and seek feedback from the all parties regarding the withdrawal of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)'s and the situation in the country post-withdrawal.[63]

Timor-Leste voted for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat during 2011–12. The country also supported the election of Poonam Khetrapal Singh for the post of Regional Director, South East Asia Regional office (SEARO), WHO in September 2013. Timor-Leste co-sponsored a resolution moved by India at the UN General Assembly in January 2015, to declare 21 June as International Yoga Day.[63]

Several high-level visits between officials of the two countries have taken place. East Timorese Vice Minister of Health Natalia D. Araujo visited Delhi to participate in the International Conference on Traditional Medicine for South East Asian Countries in February 2013, and is the first East Timorese government official to visit India. Finance Minister Emilia Pires visited India in May 2013 to attend the ADB Governors' Meeting. Hernani Coelho was the first East Timorese Foreign Minister to India. He arrived in the country on a two-day visit in 27–29 March 2016 and met with the Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State (VKS) and the Minister of Health & Family Welfare.[63]

At the ASEAN-India Summit 2023 in Jakarta, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement that India will soon opening its new embassy in Timorese capital Dili.[64][65][66][67]

IndonesiaSee Indonesia–Timor-Leste relations
Indonesia-Timor-Leste border in Mota'ain

Despite the traumatic past, relations with Indonesia are very good. Indonesia is by far the largest trading partner of Timor-Leste (Approximately 50% of imports, 2005) and is steadily increasing its share. The East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; and Indonesia is seeking resolution of East Timorese refugees in Indonesia.

IsraelSee Israel–Timor-Leste relations

Both countries established diplomatic relations in May 2002.[68]

JapanSee Japan–Timor-Leste relations
  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Tokyo.
  • Japan has an embassy in Dili.[69]
Kosovo10 March 2022See Kosovo–Timor-Leste relations

Timor-Leste recognised the independence of Kosovo on 20 September 2012.[70][71] The two countries established diplomatic relations on 10 March 2022.[72]

MalaysiaSee Malaysia–Timor-Leste relations

Malaysia has contributed to many UN peacekeeping missions on the country, such as one are the Operation Astute during the 2006 East Timorese crisis.[73] Malaysia also has provided assistance to Timor-Leste in the area of human resources development through various training programmes and providing assistance to Timor-Leste in its nation building efforts.[73] Currently, Malaysia has been consider by East Timorese as a model to develop their countries.[74][75]

Timor-Leste has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur,[76] and Malaysia has an embassy in Dili.[77]

Mexico26 September 2003See Mexico–Timor-Leste relations
Honorary consulate of Mexico in Dili
  • Timor-Leste is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[78]
  • Mexico is accredited to Timor-Leste from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia and maintains an honorary consulate in Dili.[79]
PhilippinesSee Philippines–Timor-Leste relations

The Philippines is one of the biggest contributor to the UN-backed peacekeeping missions in Timor-Leste even before the Timor-Leste became independent from Indonesia.

Being the only two predominantly Catholic nation in Asia, relations with the Philippines became very positive as soon as Timor-Leste was multilaterally recognised as an independent state. The two countries are now engaged in a growing commercial relationship, as well as cultural and educational exchanges. The Philippines is a vocal supporter of Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN.

On 6 June 2013, both countries signed three agreements in Manila concerning infrastructure development, defence and education.[80]

Both nations were conquered by the Iberian powers, mainly by Spain and Portugal, in the 16th century.

PortugalSee Portugal–Timor-Leste relations
The Casa Europa in Dili, the European Union's representation in Timor-Leste Embassy of Portugal in Dili

Timor-Leste was a colony of Portugal for over 400 years. As a former Portuguese colony, Timor-Leste has a significant proportion of Portuguese speakers. Portuguese is one of the two official languages of Timor and it is a full member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

From 1986, Portugal started to make the self-determination of Timor-Leste a major concern of its diplomatic policy, at a time when the occupation of this country by Indonesia was still a matter forgotten by the international community. The diplomatic efforts from Portugal were able to achieve a growing international support, including from countries, as Australia and the US, that hitherto implicitly supported the Indonesian occupation. This efforts would eventually lead to a referendum and the independence of Timor-Leste in 2002.

Other ties include connections between the National University of Timor-Leste and Coimbra University, and between the military forces of Timor-Leste and Portugal.

Timor-Leste opened its first Embassy abroad in Lisbon on 5 July 2002[81]

  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Lisbon.
  • Portugal has an embassy in Dili.
RussiaSee Russia–Timor-Leste relations

Russia was one of the first countries to recognise Timor-Leste's independence and took part in nearly all UN aid programs, providing food and relief personnel, including civil and transport aviation pilots.[82] After the shooting of José Ramos-Horta (former president of Timor-Leste), the Russian ministry said; "The Russian side expresses its concern over the attempt on the life of the Timor-Leste president, and hopes political stability in East Timor will be maintained, as a fundamental condition for a successful solution to the complicated problems it is facing. And in the interests of strengthening national unity and ensuring social and economic development."

  • Russia is accredited to Timor-Leste from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Serbia

Serbia is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[83]

Singapore20 May 2002

Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 20, 2002.[84][85]

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste set up an embassy in Singapore on 1 December 2010[86]

During a meeting with his Timorese counterpart, Bendito dos Santos Freitas on July 24, 2023, Singapore FM Dr Vivian Balakrishnan officially announced to open embassy in Dili.[87][88]

South Korea

In 2023, around 3,700 East Timorese worked in South Korea. There are plans to increase cooperation between South Korea's island province of Jeju with Timor-Leste's island municipality Atauro.[89]

TurkeySee Timor-Leste–Turkey relations

Turkey is represented in Timor by its embassy in Jakarta.[90]

United Kingdom2002See Timor-Leste–United Kingdom relations
Foreign Secretary David Lammy with East Timorese President José Ramos-Horta in London, April 2025.

Timor-Leste established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 2002.[2]

  • Timor-Leste maintains an embassy in London.[91]
  • The United Kingdom is accredited to Timor-Leste from its embassy in Jakarta; there is no British embassy in Timor-Leste.[92] On 29 February 2024, the UK announced its intentions to re-open an embassy in Dili.[93]

The United Kingdom committed its support for the accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN.[94]

United StatesSee Timor-Leste–United States relations
Embassy of the United States in Dili

The United States has a large bilateral development assistance program, $20.6 million in 2007, and also contributes funds as a major member of a number of multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The US Peace Corps has operated in Timor-Leste since 2002, but it suspended operations in May 2006 due to unrest and instability.

  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Washington, D.C.
  • United States has an embassy in Dili.
Vietnam28 July 2002

Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 28, 2002.

  • Vietnam has an embassy in Dili.[95]
  • Timor-Leste has an embassy in Hanoi.

[96][97]

Close

Multilateral relations

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Main article: Accession of Timor-Leste to ASEAN

Timor-Leste was one of the only countries in Southeast Asia that was not a member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). However, Timor-Leste expressed its intention of gaining observer status to ASEAN in July 2002 and in 2006 it was considered to take six years to join.[98] However, Timor-Leste attended many meetings of ASEAN regardless. In 2007 Timor-Leste signed the ASEAN Treaty on Amity and Co-operation.[99][100] On October 26, 2025, Timor-Leste became the 11th member state of ASEAN with the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN.[101][102]

See also

Literature

  • Sahin, Selver B. (2014). "Timor-Leste's Foreign Policy: Securing State Identity in the Post-Independence Period". Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs. 33 (2): 3–25. doi:10.1177/186810341403300201. hdl:11693/12429. S2CID 54546263.

References

External links

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