United Nations Radio

The President of Timor Leste, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta, said his country, newly independent and emerging from decades of conflict, has benefited greatly from the generosity of the international community.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, he noted however, that the people would benefit more if less donor money is spent on repetitive studies and reports, and more is invested in small projects. President Ramos Horta pointed out that Timor Leste itself has helped others, including victims of the Chinese earthquake, of cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and of the recent hurricanes in Cuba.

"Starting in 2009 Timor-Lest will contribute US $1 million annually to assist children related programmes in Myanmar and Somalia through UN agencies like UNICEF and UNHCR. We believe that even though we are poor, or because we are poor, we should better understand and feel the pain of the poorest of the poor, and must be among the first to help others less fortunate than us."

President Ramos Horta also humbly appealed to the US government to lift its economic embargo on Cuba.

Reporting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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