Timor-Leste and Portugal sign an agreement to improve the quality of public service
The Minister of Justice, Ivo Valente and the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers, Avelino Coelho, signed a Protocol for Support for the Improvement of the Quality of Public Service (PISP) in African Countries of Official Portuguese Language and Timor-Leste, with Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, IP, represented by the Ambassador of Portugal in Díli, Manuel de Gonçalves de Jesus. The ceremony occurred on January 28th at the Legal Training Centre in Caicoli, Díli.
The main objective of this agreement is to improve the national and local public service systems and make them more accessible to citizens and companies. This support will focus specifically on modernisation and computerisation of public administration.
The protocol involves several national entities, such as the National Authorising Officer (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation), the National Directorate for Registration and Notary (Ministry of Justice) and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
The activities that will be developed under this agreement are integrated in the Justice Sector Strategic Plan for Timor-Leste (2011-2030). The justice sector services will be progressively deconcentrated, within the predicted timeframe, so that all municipalities may have access to a package of basic citizenships services in their area, such as, for example, issuing identity cards for Timorese nationals.
The strengthening of the justice services in the municipalities is inscribed in the Sixth Constitutional Government Programme, within the scope of judicial institutions, through the distribution and assignment of more magistrates, prosecutors and public defenders throughout the national territory, as well as through the availability of public services for registration and notary.
In addition to the Minister of Justice and the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers, also present at the signing ceremony were the General Director for the Ministry of Justice, Henrique Oliveira Ximenes, the General Director for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Victor Maia, the Director of the National Directorate for Registration and Notary, Maria Araújo and other authorities and guests.
