Former UN official Badejo receives Order of Timor-Leste — Premium Times Nigeria

Babafemi Badejo, a former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Somalia, said that Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta had awarded him the Order of Timor-Leste. In his speech on the occasion of the award, Badejo said he was dedicating the distinction to peacekeeping personnel, mediators, civil society representatives and other people working for peace.

As Premium Times Nigeria reports, Badejo thanked Ramos-Horta and the people of Timor-Leste. According to him, the president chose the International Day of Peace to present the award.

Work in Guinea-Bissau

Badejo said that he had served as Ramos-Horta's chief of staff in Guinea-Bissau. According to him, during that period they worked to return military personnel to their barracks and hold elections, although Ramos-Horta stressed that stabilising the country could not be limited to the electoral process.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

He also said that Timor-Leste provided $8 million to support the 2014 elections in Guinea-Bissau, while Nigeria provided $7 million. Badejo also mentioned a technical team from Timor-Leste which, according to him, assisted in preparations for the elections.

Nigeria's participation and regional structures

In his speech, Badejo noted Nigeria's role in stabilising Guinea-Bissau during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. He also thanked the then-chair of ECOWAS, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, African Union special envoy Ovídio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno, and ECOWAS special envoy Ansumana Cissé.

Badejo added that in May 2022, he and his wife visited Dili, where he attended Ramos-Horta's inauguration as president and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Timor-Leste's independence.