The first high-level visit from the UAE to Timor-Leste centred on accelerating digital transformation to support sustainable development while identifying opportunities in renewable energy, capacity building and technical assistance for the country’s planned ASEAN chairmanship in 2029. Noura Al Kaabi conveyed warm regards from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President during meetings at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace. Both sides reviewed regional issues of mutual interest and committed to finalising economic pacts that would lift trade and investment volumes between the two nations.
President Jose Ramos-Horta welcomed the delegation and praised the UAE’s contribution to female education through a residential complex for university students in Dili. “Today’s visit by Her Excellency Minister Al Kaabi is a testament to the warm and growing friendship between Timor-Leste and the United Arab Emirates,” Ramos-Horta said. He thanked President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for support of the Timor UAE Residence for Girls project, which will accommodate approximately 300 young women and symbolises a promise of equal educational access regardless of social background.
Al Kaabi expressed gratitude for the reception and described Timor-Leste as a genuine friend that demonstrated solidarity after recent attacks on the UAE. “I am deeply grateful to President Ramos-Horta for his warm welcome during my first visit to Timor-Leste,” Al Kaabi stated. She added that the two countries would expand ties in renewable energy, economic partnerships and capacity building, declaring that “Timor-Leste is not just a partner; it is family.”
Separate discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay focused on sustainable tourism and international partnerships while meetings with Finance Minister Santina José Rodrigues F. Viegas Cardoso addressed investment attraction and economic diversification. The parties agreed to move swiftly toward finalising agreements that increase bilateral trade and longer-term economic cooperation, according to a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency. Al Kaabi toured the girls’ residence construction site and joined a symbolic tree-planting ceremony to mark progress on the project launched under a May memorandum of understanding.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity show Timor-Leste recorded exports of 88.8 million dollars in 2024, primarily crude petroleum and coffee, against imports of 1.03 billion dollars in an economy whose GDP stood near 1.9 billion dollars. The figures underscore the country’s reliance on external support to build infrastructure and diversify revenue streams, areas where UAE expertise in digital services and food security could prove valuable. Al Kaabi’s visit forms part of a wider Pacific tour intended to deepen UAE engagement across priority development sectors.
The two countries established diplomatic relations more than two decades ago yet have seen bilateral activity intensify in recent years through targeted development initiatives. Plans for the UAE to open an embassy in Dili were cited as a concrete step toward closer diplomatic coordination. Further talks are expected to translate the latest understandings into practical programmes that deliver measurable benefits for both populations.
