PRAISING XANANA: WORLD BANK TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT GOALS FOR POVERTY REDUCTION

WORLD BANK TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT GOALS FOR POVERTY REDUCTION AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH THROUGH TIMOR-LESTE’S STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, 2011-2030

Dili, July 12, 2011 - The World Bank congratulates the Government of Timor-Leste on holding the 2011 Development Partners’ Meeting and preparing the 2011-2030 Strategic Development Plan to benefit the people of Timor-Leste.

The World Bank also commends the Government of Timor-Leste for taking a much needed global leadership position for developing countries through the “g7+” to address the challenges faced by post conflict states.

The World Bank has been present in Timor-Leste for nearly a decade since independence and has stood at the side of the Timorese people as they have established the tenets of a modern state. The World Bank continues to support the government and people as they seek to strengthen the foundations for peace and stability, and to build more inclusive economic growth for the benefit of all.

During the last decade, Timor-Leste has made tremendous progress in health, education and public financial management. Through partnerships with the World Bank and other development agencies, Timor-Leste has targeted youth and education and has allowed more children to stay in school, with enrollment rates increasing by almost a quarter between 2004 and 2009.

Through the Youth Development Project, youth grants have been provided for more than 270 sub-projects across the country with nearly 200 completed, and have financed training schemes, community infrastructure as well as major rebuilding and rehabilitation of youth centers.

These are real life achievements for the people and country of Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste has also has developed an impressive set of public policies that have allowed the country to boast a sound macro-economic framework, and lead the way in terms of governance of natural resource revenues. In this regard the World Bank acknowledges Timor-Leste's membership of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), which encourages transparent and accountable management of the country’s oil revenues and natural resources.

The people and government of Timor-Leste have made substantial progress since independence and the World Bank is partnering with the government as it works to move from post-conflict to a modern, institutionally strong and economically resilient country.

Timor-Leste shows that it is possible, in record time, to emerge from conflict and fragility and look to the future with confidence and optimism.

Many challenges remain. While tremendous progress has been made over the years, there remain issues with poverty and unemployment, particularly in rural areas. New strategic choices will need to be made to better enable the country to follow the path of emerging economies.

The Strategic Development Plan is a means by which the Government can start to address these challenges and is an example of a solid, homegrown initiative that represents an ambitious, forward looking path to development.

“The Strategic Development Plan offers a vision for the future direction of the country at a very crucial time for Timor-Leste", said Mr. Ferid Belhaj, World Bank Country Director for Timor-Leste. "It is an example of a clear political vision coupled with an intimate knowledge of the country, of its people and of its economic and social challenges and opportunities."

The Strategic Development Plan will serve to underpin the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Strategy, which is being led by the World Bank's Country Manager, Mr. Luis Constantino and will be developed over the coming months.

This Partnership framework will thrive to support the government in creating inclusive growth through jobs, public services and infrastructure for all, based on the sound management of public finances. It will be built on consultations with a wide range of stakeholders across Timor-Leste, and with national development partners.

As it further strengthens its commitment to the people and government of Timor-Leste, the World Bank will bolster the substantive partnership with development allies and will work with them to support harmonized and coherent development efforts across the country.

For more information about the World Bank in Timor-Leste, please visit www.worldbank.org/tl

Political Earthquake: Major General Taur Matan Ruak to Run for President

Quinta-feira, 14 de Julho de 2011

TEMPO SEMANAL - 14/07/2011

Reliable Tempo Semanal souces said that the Chief of the East Timorese Defence Force, FALINTIL-FDTL has strongly indicated in public and in private that it is his intention to soon resign from the defence force because he intends to run in the 2012 Presidential election.

Ruak’s most serious competition on the Presidential elections likely includes FRETILIN’s President Fransisco “Lu Olo” Guterres, current President Jose Ramos-Horta, and the President of the National Parliament Fernando Lasama. Some indications include that Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres will also candidate himself.

According to Tempo Semanal sources General Ruak will resign from the national defence force by the end of the year and quickly announce his candidacy as a civilian citizen for the Presidency in early 2012.

According to Tempo Semanal sources, General Ruak informed the President of the Republic Jose Ramos-Horta in late June 2011 that it was his intention to run for the Presidency. President Ramos-Horta indicated to General Ruak that it was 90% certain he would not run for the Presidency again. According to TS sources President Ramos-Horta shortly afterward met with Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and the Secretary-General of FRETILIN Mari Alkatiri and informed them that General Ruak intended to resign from the defence force and candidate himself for Presidency.

After hearing that General Ruak intends to run for the Presidency on 22 June 2011 President Ramos-Horta indicated that he is almost certain he will not seek re-election.

Reliable Tempo Semanal souces said that the Chief of the East Timorese Defence Force, FALINTIL-FDTL has strongly indicated in public and in private that it is his intention to soon resign from the defence force because he intends to run in the 2012 Presidential election.

Ruak’s most serious competition on the Presidential elections likely includes FRETILIN’s President Fransisco “Lu Olo” Guterres, current President Jose Ramos-Horta, and the President of the National Parliament Fernando Lasama. Some indications include that Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres will also candidate himself.

According to Tempo Semanal sources General Ruak will resign from the national defence force by the end of the year and quickly announce his candidacy as a civilian citizen for the Presidency in early 2012.

According to Tempo Semanal sources, General Ruak informed the President of the Republic Jose Ramos-Horta in late June 2011 that it was his intention to run for the Presidency. President Ramos-Horta indicated to General Ruak that it was 90% certain he would not run for the Presidency again. According to TS sources President Ramos-Horta shortly afterward met with Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and the Secretary-General of FRETILIN Mari Alkatiri and informed them that General Ruak intended to resign from the defence force and candidate himself for Presidency.

After hearing that General Ruak intends to run for the Presidency on 22 June 2011 President Ramos-Horta indicated that he is almost certain he will not seek re-election.

General Ruak is known to have strong popularity in the ranks of the FRETILIN Opposition but is also known to have strong ties to Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao based on common experience in the guerrilla struggle. General Ruak’s position as a military officer has been carefully independent of political party position, but it is known that he privately questions the agendas of many civilian political leaders. According the TS sources General Ruak understands that he can only play a role in national politics as a civilian, so he must resign from the defence force.

Major-General Taur Matan Ruak is a 24-year veteran of the armed struggle against Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999. However, he is not of the older generation who played leadership roles in the 1975 civil war. He is both of the past and the present and the future.

General Ruak was a field commander in FALINTIL during the 1980s and 1990s. After Xanana Gusmao the commander of FALINTIL was captured in 1992 and later on Konis Santana was declared field commander in 1993 Ruak was appointed Chief of Staff of FALINTIL with responsibility for military operations.

After Santana died in March 1998 Ruak was appointed field commander of FAILINTIL.

In 2000 upon the resignation of now Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao from FALINTIL, Ruak became commander of FALINTIL.

On 1 February 2001 FALINTIL was transformed into the modern defence force FALINTIL-FDTL.

Between 2001 and 2006 Ruak was the lead uniformed defence leader in Timor-Leste under the civilian leadership of the FRETILIN government. Ruak came under considerable pressure in 2006 and 2007 for the real and perceived mistakes made by the defence force during the crisis.

Since 2007 under the civilian leadership of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and the Secretary of State for Defence Julio Pinto, Ruak has made many changes in the defence force. Numerous soldiers have been rewarded from professional success and a large number have been dismissed for misconduct and even crimes that the civilan justice system cannot process. The defence force is also in a stage of advanced development regarding naval and even air components and is soon the join international peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon in the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL.

General Ruak “Jose Maria Vasconselos” is from Baguia subdistrict in Baucau. He speaks Makassae, Naueti, Tetun and Portuguese. He is also a self-taught English speaker. He is known, as being a strong-minded frontal personality who has conviction is positions. General Ruak was recommended for prosecution by the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry into the event of the crisis of 2006. He is also known to have fully cooperated with this commission in its fact-finding efforts. He was subsequently cleared of allegations.

General Ruak is married to Isabel Ferriera of Manufahi District and has three children, two daughters and one son. (***)