East Timor
... As Nationhood and Independence Dawn

Secretary-General Kofi Annan with East Timor President Xanana Gusmão during the Independence Day ceremonies on May 20 in Dili. (UN Photo/Sergey Bermeniev)

On 17 April, 2002, the UN officially declared former guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmão winner of East Timor’s first-ever presidential election. The conclusion of this electoral process paved the way for East Timor’s independence on 20 May 2002.

The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNMET), established in June 1999, successfully carried out a free and fair popular consultation on the independence of the territory on 30 August 1999. In the wake of the popular vote for independence, pro-autonomy militias went on a campaign of violence against the civilian population. In response, the Security Council authorized an Australian-led multinational force to establish peace and security and protect humanitarian aid. In October 1999, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was established to prepare East Timor for independence. Here are 20 of the major achievements the United Nations and all its partners have made possible since that time.

• The establishment of peace and security in East Timor.



• The addressing of humanitarian needs by UNHCR, IOM, WFP and UNICEF, which were all instrumental, together with UNTAET, in ensuring that humanitarian needs were met quickly after the violence of 1999. Nearly 200,000 refugees, a quarter of the population, have since returned to East Timor.



• The holding of free, fair and completely peaceful elections on 30 August 2001 that resulted in an 88-member Constituent Assembly now in the process of writing East Timor’s first Constitution.



• The creation of the Second Transitional Government and the appointment of the fully Timorese Council of Ministers, which runs much of the day-to-day activities of the Government. The Council, appointed on 20 September 2001, replaced the Transitional Cabinet created in July 2000.



• The establishment of a Timorese-led national programme of civic education, which, by the end of July 2001, had trained over 5,500 community leaders and directly involved over 100,000 East Timorese.



• The holding of 200 Constitutional public hearings in June and July 2001, at which 38,000 East Timorese turned out to air their views on what should be considered by the Constituent Assembly when drafting the first Constitution.



• The registration of 737,811 people, virtually the entire population currently living in East Timor - excluding the refugees in West Timor - over a three-month period, as the basis for electoral rolls for the Constituent Assembly elections.



• The creation of the East Timor Defence Force, with 600 soldiers having undergone basic training; and the establishment of the East Timor Police Service, with more than 1,300 Police Officers deployed in all 13 districts.



• The establishment of a Civil Service. As of March this year, 9,633 East Timorese civil servants had been recruited as part of the process of "Timorization" of the public administration.



• The establishment of a functioning judicial and legal system, including an East Timorese Prosecutor General’s office and a Defender Service; 3 District Courts; a Court of Appeals, and prisons in Dili, Baucau and Ermera.



• The basic rehabilitation of schools throughout the country. More than 700 primary schools, 100 junior secondary schools, 40 pre-schools and 10 technical colleges are now teaching approximately 240,000 children and older students.



• The reconstruction of 32 major public buildings by the East Timor Transitional Administration. Seven major buildings are currently under reconstruction: two in Dili and five in Baucau, Ermera, Liquiça and Oecussi districts.



• The initialization of an agreement with Australia on oil and gas reserves-the Timor Sea Arrangement. Starting in 2004, it has the potential to provide East Timor with billions in revenue over 20 years.



• The creation of Radio UNTAET and TVTL, covering all of East Timor and some refugee camps in West Timor, and Tais Timor, the only national news bulletin with a monthly circulation of 50,000.



• Basic public services have been put in place in a wide range of areas, including health, education and infrastructure. Electricity has been re-established and clear water is being provided in urban areas following the widespread destruction of these facilities in 1999.




A parade in honor of East Timor's new independence. (UN Photo/Sergey Bermeniev)

• The initiation of a major road rehabilitation programme: repairing and maintaining a 1,000-kilometre core road network neglected for more than two decades. The Dili Port is busy with shipping. The Dili international airport was reopened for commercial flights in early 2000; now under civilian administration, it handles international flights by five carriers.



• The early formation of a Central Fiscal Authority, the precursor to the current Ministry of Finance, to ensure that East Timor’s limited resources are used effectively, and the country has a stable fiscal framework for a sustainable economy.



• The collection of more than $38 million in taxes and other revenues. The establishment of a Banking and Payments Authority (formerly the Central Payments Office) that functions as the proto-Central Bank. It has developed and manages correspondent banking facilities with foreign and central commercial banks, and manages the government payroll.



• The establishment of a small enterprises project to help restart viable economic activities in the private sector. This has helped create an entrepreneurial class while generating employment in urban areas.



• The rehabilitation of two thirds of the arable land; the restoration of livestock by importing and vaccinating cattle and buffalo; and the provision of nets and boats to small fishing enterprises to tap the rich potential of East Timor’s waters.

These achievements were fulfilled with the active assistance of donor countries, the World Bank, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and other partners. The United Nations will continue to be engaged in East Timor after independence to consolidate the major achievements so far, build upon those accomplishments and help the Government in ensuring security and stability. Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma of India will succeed Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil as Special Representative of the Secretary-General in East Timor.