Socioeconomic challenges: The gap between expectations and achievements

Timor-Leste is a fledging nation wrestling with the challenge of forging a viable state. It's entering a very complex period in the lead-up to the 2012 elections. The country's leaders inherited a difficult situation, reconstructing a devastated country and healing deep-seated community divisions. The economic and social challenges facing Timor-Leste are daunting, although the exploitation of oil and gas revenues offers a potential lifeline. This report sets out a number of the challenges for the country, such as possible domestic unrest, transnational crime, food security, land reform, law and justice issues, security sector reform and maritime development. The situation is made more complex by the large number of donor states and the need for Timor-Leste to coordinate their assistance.