Government of Timor-Leste

Prime Minister

Eighth Constitutional Government

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Dili, june 6th, 2022

Press Release

Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak holds first telephone meeting with his new counterpart from Australia, Anthony Albanese

His Excellency the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, held yesterday, Sunday, a first phone meeting with his new counterpart from Australia, Anthony Norman Albanese. During this conversation, both leaders shared information with the purpose of strengthening and deepening the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of these bilateral relations.

In this phone conversation, which lasted 11 minutes, the Timorese Head of Government, on behalf of the Timorese people and on his own behalf, greeted and congratulated His Excellency Anthony Albanese on his election as Prime Minister and reaffirmed Timor-Leste's commitment to continue to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relations and cooperation between Dili and Canberra, both at the people' and the State's level.

The Head of the Timorese Executive took this opportunity to thank the Australian Government for its support during this period, in all areas, namely in crucial and important areas such as the Optic Fibre Project and the expansion of President Nicolau Lobato International Airport.

The Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, considers Australia as a partner and good friend of Timor-Leste, that has always stood by our people, since the Second World War, in 1999, in 2006 and in 2020-2021, in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and when Timor-Leste suffered with natural disasters.

On his turn, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, thanked his Timorese counterpart for the greetings and congratulations, reaffirming the commitment of the new Australian Government to continue to work with the current Government of Timor-Leste to support in several areas, namely in the challenges of climate change, labour mobility, regional security,  E-Governance and economic development of the country.

Before concluding this conversation, and following the invitation from the Prime Minister Albanese, the Head of the Government of Timor-Leste answered positively and promised to visit Australia before the end of his term of office. This visit was scheduled for February this year, but due to the Prime Minister having tested positive to COVID-19, the visit had to be postponed. The Australian Head of Government was very pleased with the positive response to the invitation, and said he looks forward to seeing his Timorese counterpart in Australia. END