UNTAET stands for United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor. It was a peacekeeping mission established by the United Nations in 1999 to facilitate the transition of East Timor from a territory under Indonesian occupation to an independent nation.
This transitional administration aimed to provide security, maintain law and order, and support the establishment of a functioning government in East Timor. UNTAET encompassed a wide range of activities including political, administrative, judiciary, and law enforcement functions.
The core goal of UNTAET was to ensure a peaceful and stable transition to self-governance. It carried out a comprehensive range of responsibilities such as assisting in the drafting of a new constitution, organizing elections, and facilitating the establishment of East Timor's first government institutions.
In addition to these functions, UNTAET also undertook efforts to promote and protect human rights, promote reconciliation, and assist in rebuilding key infrastructure and essential services that were severely damaged during the violence surrounding the independence referendum in 1999.
The United Nations Security Council authorized UNTAET to use all necessary means to achieve its mandate, including the deployment of military forces and civilian police to maintain security and stability. UNTAET operated for a period of two and a half years, from October 1999 to May 2002, after which it transitioned to the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), focusing more on capacity-building and development assistance.
