Government of Timor-Leste

The 3^rd Ordinary Meeting of CPLP’s Ministers of the Sea, on May 18^th, in the Dili Conventions Centre, motivated various activities related with the "expansion of the blue economy in a framework of cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of the seas and oceans".

On the 15^th, Timor-Leste’s Government launched the campaign "Clean beach, healthy environment", in Praia dos Coqueiros, in front of CPLP’s headquarters, in Dili. And on the 16^th, in the Dili Conventions Centre, chaired by the Minister of State, Coordinator of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Estanislau Aleixo da Silva, an international seminar discussed issues related to "CPLP and the Sea: challenges and opportunities in the globalised world".

Finally, on the last day of the stay of the government leaders of the Community, took place the 3^rd Ordinary Meeting of CPLP’s Ministers of the Sea. In the opening, the Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araujo, stressed the importance of the sea on a global scale, "This is also reflected at national and regional level, as well as in our Community. Different regional cooperation strategies regarding maritime affairs, namely in terms of maritime security, fighting against illegal fishing, fighting against piracy, and partnerships for protecting the environment and biodiversity encompass all areas of the world". In his speech the Prime Minister also emphasized that "Because Timor-Leste is an archipelagic State, the issues of the sea take on a vital importance for us Timorese. As you know, we are striving under the international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to obtain definitive delimitation of our maritime borders, so as to enable us to ensure our full sovereignty".

The Dili Action Plan, intended to put CPLP’s strategy for the Oceans into practice, and the Declaration of Dili, were approved at this meeting.