Timor Leste Prime Minister Dr Rui Maria de Araujo, who along with Bill English is one of two Otago University graduates who are serving prime ministers, visited the campus yesterday.
He had fond memories of Dunedin and the university and said what he learnt while in the city played a major role in what he had achieved, first as Minister of Health and now as Prime Minister.
Less than a year after graduating from Otago University with a Master of Public Health degree he was asked to be part of a Government team that was established in 2001 by the United Nations ahead of Timor Leste’s independence the following year.He stepped in as Minister of Health and relied on much of the knowledge he gained from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine.
"Bear in mind that when we transitioned from the popular vote to independence, there was huge destruction in the country.
"The health system was completely destroyed."
He said the transformation of Timor Leste’s healthcare system, which included infant mortality rates halving in the last 15 years, had its "gestation" in a thesis he wrote while at Otago.
However, while the health system had made great strides the country was still "lagging behind".
The Timor Leste government was now focusing on economic diversification and attracting investment.
This was one of the reasons for his visit to New Zealand, but it was also about expressing gratitude to a country which had been a friend before and after Timor Leste’s independence.
He also wished to thank the activists who had fought on behalf Timor Leste in the 1990s and who he protested alongside in the Octagon while he was in Dunedin.
He had met Mr English, who noted that he was also an Otago University graduate.
"It is very good to know that the prime minister of New Zealand and also myself, we have some roots here at the Otago University and also in the beautiful city of Dunedin."
Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said the trip was a great opportunity for the university to offer its support to Timor Leste.
"As a brand new country they have a number of significant challenges and the University of Otago is really keen to work with them to help them try to overcome some of those challenges," Prof Hayne said.
