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We congratulate President-elect José Ramos-Horta on his election as Timor-Leste’s next president and look forward to working with President-elect Ramos-Horta to strengthen the enduring partnership between the United States and Timor-Leste.  Rooted in shared values and interests, our partnership has delivered opportunities to improve the livelihoods of the Timorese people through economic development, public health, security cooperation, and educational exchanges and training.

We commend Timorese authorities, including the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration and the National Elections Commission, for administering a free, fair, and transparent election and the hundreds of thousands of Timorese voters who cast their ballots peacefully.  Timor-Leste’s election serves as an inspiration for democracy in Southeast Asia, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world.  This achievement represents another milestone in Timor-Leste’s tremendous work to build and strengthen its robust, vibrant democracy over its nearly 20-year history as an independent nation.

U.S. Department of State

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