Abstract

In 1999, Timor-Leste separated from Indonesia after 24 years of an often-brutal occupation. Over the past 25 years, the country has achieved remarkable progress in areas such as health, education and infrastructure development. However, many old problems have persisted, and new ones are emerging. Unemployment and political fragmentation remain serious challenges for the young nation.  As the generation of Timorese who fought during the war of independence ages, a new generation is expected to take on the many challenges that confront the nation. How should Asia’s youngest nation respond to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead?

About the Speaker

Loro Horta is a diplomat and scholar from Timor-Leste. He is currently the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to China.

He has served as Timor-Leste’s ambassador to Cuba and counsellor at the Timor-Leste embassy in Beijing. He has been writing on China for over 15 years. He is a graduate of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, the Chinese National Defense University, the US Naval Post Graduate School, the American National Defense University, and Sydney University. He has won several awards for his academic and diplomatic work.