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| Abbreviation | UNTAET |
|---|---|
| Formation | 25 October 1999 |
| Type | Special political mission |
| Legal status | Completed on 20 May 2002 |
| Headquarters | Dili,East Timor |
Head | Ian Martin (1999) Sérgio Vieira de Mello (1999-2002) |
Parent organization | United Nations Security Council |
| Website | www |
TheUnited Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET,Portuguese:Administração Transitória das Nações Unidas em Timor Leste) was a United Nations mission inEast Timor that aimed to solve thedecades-longEast Timorese crisis in the area occupied by Indonesian military. UNTAET provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on 25 October 1999,[1] until its independence on 20 May 2002, following the outcome of theEast Timor Special Autonomy Referendum. The transitional administration was established byUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1272 in 1999.
A rarity forUnited Nations peacekeeping missions, UNTAET involved the United Nationsdirectly administering the territory ofEast Timor. The mission's responsibilities included providing apeacekeeping force to maintain security and order; facilitating and co-ordinating relief assistance to the East Timorese; facilitating emergency rehabilitation of physical infrastructure; administering East Timor and creating structures for sustainable governance and the rule of law; and assisting in the drafting of a new constitution and conducting elections.[1]
UNTAET was established on 25 October 1999, byUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1272. The mission was led bySérgio Vieira de Mello of Brazil (Special Representative of the Secretary-General for East Timor). TheInternational Force East Timor(INTERFET) transitioned to the UNTAET Peacekeeping Force (PKF) in February 2000 and was commanded byFilipinomilitary officerLieutenant GeneralJaime de los Santos (Force Commander UNTAET).[2][3] UNTAET was abolished on 20 May 2002, with most functions passed to the East Timor government. The military and police forces were transferred to the newly createdUnited Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET).
UNTAET was wound up uponEast Timorese independence but a United Nations presence in East Timor would continue through a newly established United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET).
A coalition of nations sent troops to support the peace keeping mission. The forces were led byAustralia, which provided the largest contingent and the out of theatre base for operations, supported byPortugal who sent the second largest contingent[4] securing the key central areas of the country,[5] followed byNew Zealand, who took responsibility for the southern West sector with supporting troops fromIreland,Fiji,Nepal, andSingapore.France also sent special forces who joined theANZACs on the first day, as well as contingents fromBrazil,Canada,Denmark,Italy,Kenya,Japan,Malaysia,Singapore,South Korea,Thailand, thePhilippines,Sweden, and theUnited Kingdom. While theUnited States supported the transition authority, it did so mainly by underwriting contracts to replace destroyed infrastructure and thus avoided a direct military involvement, allowing the ANZAC led force to take the lead. The United States did, however, deploy a contingent of American police officers to serve with theInternational Police.[6]
Ian Martin andSérgio Vieira de Mello served asSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for East Timor during UNTAET's period of operation.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| - |  | Ian Martin (acting) | n/a | 25 October 1999 | 19 November 1999 | 25 days |
| 1 |  | Sérgio Vieira de Mello (1948–2003) | n/a | 19 November 1999 | 20 May 2002 | 2 years, 182 days |
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