On Tuesday, July 12, in the Convention Center in Dili, the Prime Minister launched the Strategic Development Plan (SDP) at the Timor-Leste and Development Partners meeting, a plan approved by National Parliament the day before, on July 11.

“In May 2002 the RDTL First Constitutional Government launched the National Strategic Development Plan, as an answer to the Timor-Leste people’s aspirations and their development prospects for 20 years. In that document, the Timorese people printed, in a simple but multifaceted Vision, the challenges of nation building and development needs of the country, ” said the Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, in his speech.

The Prime Minister added that “the 2002 NSDP paved the way for the revision of that same plan. Because a revision the 2002 PEDN hadn’t been made, the IV Constitutional Government introduced it in its program, approved by the National Parliament in September 2007, pledging to provide an SDP until the end of its mandate. “

Preparations for the SDP development involved the Ministries, the Directors-General, National Directors and Heads of Department in drafting an action plan for their respective ministries and departments for a short, medium and long term period. The plans were compiled into a single document which formed the basis for organizing a consultation throughout Timor-Leste’s 65 sub-districts. The purpose of this consultation was to provide discussion on opportunities and challenges faced by the country, organizing open meetings to include Timorese citizens. From the beginning, the SDP was considered as a plan reserved for Timorese and the Timorese society, a plan that “belongs to this Country” and whose implementation will be “led by the country itself”.

The Timor-Leste and Development Partners meeting is the opportunity for both Timor-Leste and Development Partners to establish new forms and efforts of involvement in the coordination and alignment of assistance to the development of the national plan.

The passage from a short-term National Priorities framework to this long term National SDP, provides for long-term planning by the development partners, which can lead to a more cohesive effort, avoiding fragmentation, competition and parallels systems of the past.

It will also be possible to accelerate progress towards achieving common goals articulated in the SDP, including the improvement of the quality of life of the Timorese people and the realization of a totally Timorese vision for Timor-Leste.

The Prime Minister’s speech and the PED official launch were followed by the intervention of the President of the Asian Development Bank, Haruhiko Kuroda, on the theme “A Vision for Asia in 2030 – Investing in the future of Timor-Leste.”

The World Bank Country Director, Ferid Belhaj, spoke about “Timor-Leste, emerging from frailty,” followed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of Columbia University, Earth Institute, addressing the “Trajectory of Timor-Leste’s development” and before starting the round table discussions, there was also the opportunity to hear Amerah Haq, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Timor-Leste, with the theme “Timor-Leste on the path to peace and prosperity.”

In the afternoon session, the discussion was opened to three round tables. In the table chaired by the Secretary of State for Natural Resources, the oil sector was discussed. Agriculture and rural development was discussed at another table with the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the table with the tourism theme was chaired by the Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry.

Participating in this Timor-Leste and Development Partners Meeting were the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, Government members, members of the National Parliament and civil society, religious institutions, among others, the donor countries representatives such as Japan, United States, Mexico, Portugal, Brazil, European Union, Singapore, Korea, Australia, New Zealand. Also present were representatives of the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and United Nations.