A look at challenges East Timor faces after independence

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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May 16 2002 1. Head of UN Transitional Administration in East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, hands over ceremonial 'key to office' to President-elect Xanana Gusmao 2. Wide same May 15 2002 3. Pan of International Donors to East Timor conference 4. Various shots of delegations from international financial institutions and from major donor countries 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Klaus Rohland, Country Director, World Bank "We will avoid a situation of dependency (on others for aid) in East Timor. We will really have, as East Timor moves into the oil and gas revenue phase in three or four years from now, we will have a truly independent East Timor that will be able to run its own affairs. And that's the good news and that's the message we would like to convey to you out of this process." 6. Pan of International Donors to East Timor conference 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) President-elect Xanana Gusmao "All the products from the farmers, they will be very relieved. Because what they need now is money. Money to send their children to school, money to build their own houses, money to do everything - and they don't have (any money). In the first years, we can start by (doing) this." May 16 2002 8. Exterior rebuilt market, now housing temporary expo of Timorese goods 9. Various shots people looking at locally made Timorese goods 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jose Teceira, Senior Advisor, Department of Investment and Tourism "Two years ago, East Timor was still in ashes - now it's holding a trade expo and there are people in there from all the districts, little producers - they're all there proudly showing what they can produce what they can make to the world and it's all very peaceful." 11. People looking at locally made Timorese goods May 15 2002 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sergio Vieira de Mello, Head of UN Transitional Administration in East Timor "A lot remains to be done. The Timorese must to realise that they will have to go through very difficult years before they enter this new phase - probably the second half of this decade - where the revenues, not least of the Timor Sea, will provide them with a much brighter future than they can presently predict." May 16 2002 13. Various shots of building being rebuilt STORYLINE: In less than 48 hours, the people of East Timor will finally become an independent state. After nearly three years of U-N administration, 24 years of Indonesian occupation, and four centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, East Timor will control its own destiny. Former guerilla fighter Xanana Gusmao, now President-elect, will be the man to lead the world's newest country down this exciting, though uncharted, path. Although the Timorese will be their own political rulers, it will be some time before they can afford to be independent in every way. East Timor recently topped a list of Asia's poorest countries. The country was poverty-stricken even before Indonesian-backed militias destroyed most of its infrastructure in 1999. Shocked by the destruction they saw, more than 25 countries and international financial institutions countries recently came together to pledge a massive amount of money to help get the tiny country back on its feet. From donors including the I-M-F and Japan, over 440 million US dollars have now been pledged to ease East Timor's financial worries over the next three years. Other than foreign handouts, East Timor is relying almost exclusively on tax revenues from the oil and natural gas in the Timor Sea for its first glimmer of self-sufficiency, though it will be several years before the country sees any money. The World Bank thinks this financial self-reliance is crucial for the country's future prosperity. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/ec74ec95ee8397572bf169f18a86ac4b Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork