2014 Timor-Leste Development Partners Meeting focuses on Implementing the Strategic Development Plan
Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, July 30, 2014
2014 Timor-Leste Development Partners Meeting focuses on Implementing the Strategic Development Plan
The annual Timor-Leste Development Partners Meeting [TLDPM] was held last week on the 25th and 26th of July at the Díli Convention Centre. Representatives of the Government, Development Partners, Civil Society and Private Sector came together to discuss progress in implementing the Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 [SDP] and consider ways to strengthen implementation and development outcomes. This year’s meeting was deliberately scheduled to follow the Summit of the CPLP to allow the contributions of friends from Portuguese speaking nations from around the globe.
The meeting was co-chaired by Timor-Leste’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, H.E. José Luis Guterres and Minister of Finance H.E. Emilia Pires. A Keynote Address was given by the Prime Minister, H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and Congratulatory Remarks were offered by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Advisor of the United Nations Secretary-General for Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 was released at the 2011 TLDPM, setting a framework to “transition Timor-Leste from a low income to upper middle income country with a healthy, educated and safe population by 2030.” Subsequently at the 2013 meeting the Development Policy Coordination Mechanism was launched to facilitate SDP implementation. In 2014 the participants of the TLDPM reaffirmed their commitment to working through this mechanism with sessions held to report on progress in all four of the identified Strategic Sectors: Economic, Social, Infrastructure Development and Governance and Institutional Strengthening.
On the second day of the 2014 TLDPM the SDP Matrix was released, a tool developed by the Government and Development Partners to drive SDP delivery and ensure policy implementation. The matrix allocates responsibilities and ensures accountability for the achievement of goals across the four Strategic Sectors. Delegates adopted the SDP Matrix and agreed to align planning and budgeting accordingly. It was also agreed that the Fifth Constitutional Government, in concert with stakeholders, would undertake a review of the Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, to be presented at the next TLDPM in 2015.
At the end of his Keynote Address the Prime Minister, H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão thanked participants and expressed his appreciation for efforts “to work together so that we can achieve sustained development, positive international cooperation and a better future for the Timorese People.”
An official Communiqué was released at the close of the meeting.
