This is an important step in the process of establishing the Vietnamese Embassy in Timor-Leste; creating conditions for the synchronised implementation of political, economic, consular, citizen protection, and community affairs.
The ceremony was attended by Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, who also serves as Minister of Tourism and Environment of Timor-Leste; Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste; and Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs of Timor-Leste; along with representatives from the Office of the President of Timor-Leste, heads of ASEAN diplomatic missions in Dili, and representatives of Telemor and the Vietnamese community in Timor-Leste.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chargé d'Affaires Pham Binh Dam stressed that bringing the new office into operation not only meets the Embassy's need for a centralised workplace but also reflects Viet Nam's long-term commitment to continuously strengthening its friendship and cooperation with Timor-Leste.
He affirmed that the Vietnamese Embassy in Timor-Leste will continue to serve as a bridge connecting the agencies, localities, and businesses of both countries, while also accompanying Timor-Leste in the process of ASEAN integration.
On behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste, Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay congratulated the Vietnamese Embassy on the opening of its office and affirmed that Timor-Leste values its friendly relations with Viet Nam. He also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Embassy will continue to make positive contributions to expanding cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
Alongside the inauguration of the office, Viet Nam and Timor-Leste are continuing to coordinate the completion of necessary procedures to take over and renovate the building that formerly housed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) office in Dili, aiming to make it the permanent chancery of the Vietnamese Embassy.
Immediately after the inauguration ceremony, the Vietnamese Embassy hosted the regular meeting of the Heads of ASEAN Diplomatic Missions in Dili. The holding of an ASEAN event as the first meeting at the new headquarters reflects the Embassy's increasingly active role in multilateral activities and marks the beginning of its fully operational phase in Timor-Leste.
