Current politics in Timor centers on personalities, history, and using ‘oil money’ as the solution to problems – it cannot cope with the rapidly changing the world and its domestic development challenges. Changing its way of doing politics and the way society is being governed is imperative to address structural issues in Timor’s development and maintain the relevancy and legitimacy of democratic institutions.

The Egyptian military dictatorship hosting this year's COP poses a political challenge for all participants. But upon close inspection, reference points for demanding human rights emerge.