Media Releases
- 09 of August of 2019Day Off on the 12th of August of 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Day Off on the 12th of August of 2019
Law no. 10/2005, of August 10, in the wording defined by Law no. 3/2016, of May 25, establishes the days that are national holidays, the official commemorative dates and the other circumstances in which tolerance days-off may be granted.
Thus, considering the provision in paragraph c) of nº 2 of article 7, and in paragraph d) of nº 6 of that article, the Government decided to grant a tolerance day-off next Monday, August 12, on the occasion of the commemoration of Idul Adha, for all officials and agents of the Ministries or services under their dependency, as well as of the institutes and bodies integrated in the indirect administration of the State.
Idul Adha, also called the "Sacrifice Feast" or "Bakr-Eid", is a celebration which commemorates the sacrifice of Abraham, and marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage. It is celebrated from the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah (last month of the lunar year in the Islamic calendar) ENDS 
07 of August of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of August 7, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of August 7, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and heard a presentation by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, concerning the first "census on progress in the national agricultural sector”. The "Agricultural Census" aims to collect data from the agriculture sector to define a policy and strategy for the sector, to support the national Agriculture Program of the Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, to develop the indicator of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) - Zero hunger and sustainable agriculture, provide statistical data on the sector at the administrative level of juice and provide a framework of the national agricultural sector. The data collection will take place from August 12 to October 12, 2019. The final report will be released in April 2020 and the results will be disseminated at the municipal level between May and June 2020. The "Agricultural Census" team includes 1 292 interviewers, 646 GPS operators and 646 supervisors, for a total of 2 584 people from all over the country, of which 36.8% are women.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares, presented to the Council of Ministers the progress report on the accession process of Timor-Leste to ASEAN. The accession of Timor-Leste is considered a priority in the context of foreign policy and will represent a positive impact on national development, with significant economic and social benefits. The year 2019 should be decisive for a positive assessment of Timor-Leste's capacity to comply with the requirements of the three pillars of ASEAN, and consequently accession as a Member State. After the visit of the largest ever delegation of Timor-Leste to the ASEAN secretariat, between the 22nd and the 24th of July 2019, Timor-Leste will receive the exploratory mission of ASEAN, between the 3rd and the 7th of September, representing the activity with the most impact in Timor-Leste's accession process, since the formal submission of the application in 2011.
The Acting Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, presented the proposal for Decree-Law on the First Amendment to the organic structure of the customs authority. This amendment aims, given the complexity of the duties performed by the customs authority, to make some adjustments that allow the administration to respond more transparently to the challenges it faces daily. In this way, the structure and attributions of some of the central services of the customs authority are amended to restructure and reformulate their tasks and competences in order to better respond to the needs and ensure the effective and efficient provision of services to citizens. The present diploma adds to the structure of the customs authority the services of planning and finance, logistics and asset management and maintenance, administration and human resources, as well as the unit of appeal. The designation of the maximum director of the customs authority, which is renamed Commissioner, is also amended. This proposal will again be analyzed at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, awaiting the opinion of the Civil Service Commission.
The Acting Minister of Finance also presented the proposal of Decree-law, concerning the First Amendment to the organic structure of the Tax Authority. The present diploma shall amend the structure and attributions of the central services of the Tax Authority, the services of declaration and liquidation, anti-fraud management, return and reimbursement of value added tax, management of procurement and contracts, information systems and taxpayer registration, international tax relations, communication and public relations and contracting and subcontractor of petroleum tax inspection and mineral tax inspection. This proposal will again be analyzed at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, awaiting the opinion of the Civil Service Commission. ENDS- 05 of August of 2019National Holiday on the Occasion of the Celebration of Idul Adha 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
National Holiday on the Occasion of the Celebration of Idul Adha - 02 of August of 2019Timor-Leste Welcomes the Statement from the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Recognising Progress to ASEAN AccessionPresidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Timor-Leste Welcomes the Statement from the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Recognising Progress to ASEAN Accession
Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, welcomes the Joint Communiqué of the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Meeting on 31 July 2019 in Bangkok.
Timor-Leste wishes to thank the ASEAN Member States – especially Thailand – for the warm hospitality during our delegation’s visit to Bangkok and recognises that the outcome of the meeting continues to build clear momentum towards our accession to ASEAN.
As confirmed in the Joint Communiqué, Timor-Leste looks forward to receiving the Political-Security Fact-Finding Mission on Timor-Leste's Preparedness to Accede to ASEAN in early September.
The Government of Timor-Leste remains strongly committed to achieving a smooth ASEAN accession, and will continue to build on the great strides towards technical preparedness over coming months. ENDS
31 of July of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of July 31, 2019Approved:more
1 - Decree-Law on the Organic of the Ministry of Finance
2 - Fiscal ceiling and national priorities for the General State Budget (OGE) for 2020;
3 - Memorandum of Understanding between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Indonesia, on customs cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters; and
4 - Names to be awarded the "Order of Timor-Leste" on the occasion of the celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of the Popular Consultation- 24 of July of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of July 24, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of July 24, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and gave full powers to the Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, to sign Timor-Leste's accession to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements resulting from Mediation, also known as the Singapore Convention on Mediation. This Convention, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 2018, is intended to provide States and regional economic integration organizations with a cross-border legal framework to ensure compliance with agreements providing for mediation as a means of resolving possible disputes between the Parties in the commercial sector. This Convention provides for mediation as a means of resolving disputes arising in the context of international trade relations and has already been ratified by more than 150 countries, including all ASEAN countries. Timor-Leste will sign the Convention on August 7, 2019 in Singapore.
Acting Minister of the Interior, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, presented a Government Resolution proposal, approved by the Council of Ministers, concerning the visa waiver of Indonesian citizens, thus implementing the Memorandum of Understanding between Timor-Leste, Indonesia and the Asian Development Bank on technical assistance for cross-border trade and cooperation. This resolution aims to strengthen cross-border economic cooperation to combat poverty and generate new economic opportunities and revenue by boosting cross-border tourism. It also aims to prepare for ASEAN integration through increased cooperation with the nearest neighbor, support for growth and economic diversification.
The Council of Ministers also gave full powers to Defense Minister Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus to sign the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Defense of Japan on cooperation for education and training in humanitarian assistance and operation for disaster relief.
Finally, the Council of Ministers granted full powers to the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Dulce de Jesus Soares, to sign the Addendum to the Cooperation Protocol between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Portuguese Republic, for the continued implementation of the CAFE project and the international assessment provided for in the protocol, allowing for discussions with the partner on a new phase of project implementation and to follow up in 2019 on all procedures necessary for implementation of the project from 2020 onwards. This protocol was signed on December 30, 2014 for a period of four years and renewed on July 20, 2017 for the period from September 29, 2018 to December 31, 2019. The future addendum provides for a further two-year extension, to apply from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. ENDS - 10 of July of 2019Meeting of the Council of Ministers of July 10, 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of July 10, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace, Dili and heard a presentation by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, regarding preparations for the XII Sports Games of the CPLP, Timor 2020, which will take place between July 14 and 24, 2020. The program presented by the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, Nélio Isaac Sarmento, includes the list of participating countries, the modalities and the infrastructures that are being prepared, namely the various stages for different sports, accommodation, transport, medical and safety services, among others. The logo and music specially designed for this international event were also presented, for the appreciation of the members of the Council of Ministers.
The Council of Ministers reviewed and approved, through a Government Resolution, the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Petroleum and Minerals Authority, the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Australian National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, on the cooperation between the regulatory authorities regarding the Bayu-Undan Gas Field and the respective pipeline, presented by the ANPM team led by Mr. Gualdino da Silva. The Council of Ministers granted Mr. Gualdino da Silva full powers to sign the Memorandum, representing the National Petroleum and Minerals Authority.
The Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Nélio Isaac Sarmento presented a Government Resolution establishing an Interministerial Occasional Committee for Coordination of Activities within the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the CPLP and the XII Sports Games of the CPLP. The Council of Ministers reviewed and approved the Resolution.
The Council of Ministers approved and granted full powers to the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Dulce de Jesus Soares, to sign the Proposal for the Amendment of the Cooperation Agreement in the Sector of Youth and Sport, to be presented at the XII Conference of Ministers Youth and Sport of the CPLP, to be held in Luanda, Angola from July 22 to 24, 2019.
The Minister of Public Works, Salvador Soares dos Reis Pires, presented to the members of the Council of Ministers a proposal to amend the construction contract for the Suai motorway, numbered ICB/007/MPNR-2013, entered into with the consortium China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd. and China Railway First Group Co. Ltd. (section I - Suai-Fatukai/Mola) related to the South Coast Infrastructure Development project. This change does not imply any increase over the initial cost. The Council of Ministers approved by Deliberation the proposal of the Minister of Public Works. ENDS - 09 of July of 2019Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 08 and 09 July 2019Presidency of the Council of Ministersmore
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of 08 and 09 July 2019
The Council of Ministers met with the Head of the Negotiating Team of the Council for the Definitive Delimitation of Maritime Borders and Special Representative of the Government of Timor-Leste for the Completion of Procedures Necessary for the Ratification of the Treaty between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Commonwealth of Australia Establishing Respective Maritime Borders in the Timor Sea, Acquisition of Interests in Oil Fields and Celebration of Agreements on the Development of the Greater Sunrise Fields, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, on 8 and 9 July.
The meeting was called for the submission, analysis and approval by the Council of Ministers of proposals for legislation and other contractual documents necessary to submit to the National Parliament the proposal for a resolution aimed at ratifying the Treaty between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Australia which establishes the respective Maritime Borders in the Timor Sea.
During Monday morning, the Negotiating Team Leader presented the draft of the Treaty, and the President of the National Petroleum and Mineral Authority, Gualdino da Silva, presented to the Council of Ministers a summary and the outcome of the negotiation process with the oil companies that currently operate in the joint development area (JDPA) and under licenses issued by Australia.
Within the scope of the text of the Treaty approved by the Council of Ministers for ratification by the National Parliament and as previously provided for in the Timor Sea Treaty, Timor-Leste undertook to guarantee these companies conditions equivalent to those of the JPDA and the Australian licenses, as they will, after Treaty ratification, operate on what are Timor-Leste waters.
To this end, the Council of Ministers has considered and approved a draft law to be submitted to the National Parliament for the adaptation of tax laws in order to allow Timor-Leste to collect the taxes due for the exercise of the oil exploration activity in the East Timor, with an expected increase in tax revenue for Timor-Leste, notably through the taxation of oil activities in areas formerly shared with Australia or exclusively Australian.
Subsequently, the Council of Ministers reviewed and approved a draft law to be sent to the National Parliament to establish a specific labor and migration regime for the exploration of the Bayun-Undan oil field. In order to allow this oil field to continue to operate under existing conditions, it is necessary to adapt the labor and migration laws to allow its workers, Timorese and foreigners, to continue to work in accordance with the rules and international best practices in this sector of activity.
The Council of Ministers also examined and approved two proposals to be sent to the National Parliament for the adaptation of the Law on Petroleum Activities and the Law of the Petroleum Fund to the regime resulting from the new Treaty.
On Tuesday, July 9, the Council of Ministers analyzed and discussed four draft Decree-Laws aimed at establishing the Transition of Petroleum Titles and Regulation of Petroleum Activities in the Bayu-Undan Field on holdings formerly located in the Joint Petroleum Development Area (ACDP), Buffalo Field and certain areas of the AC/L5 and WA-18-L (Laminaria and Coralina) Licenses, as well as the draft Production Sharing Contracts which regulate said activities with the contractors and other contractual instruments necessary to effect said transition.
Lastly, and for a total of more than 50 documents, the Council of Ministers also approved the draft Decree-Law that seeks to amend Decree-Law no. 20/2008, of June 19, establishing the National Petroleum and Mineral Authority (ANMP), with the objective of adapting the ANPM's organic legislation to the new regulations resulting from the Maritime Borders Treaty, as well as two proposals for Resolutions approving an Agreement with Australia with the objective of permitting the exchange of tax information referring to the contractors that, up until the entry into force of the Treaty, operate in the areas of joint development or in areas of exclusive Australian jurisdiction and the regime for the operation of the Bayu-Udan gas pipeline in the segment which under the Treaty is now in the continental shelf area of exclusive jurisdiction of Timor-Leste.
ANNEX:
List of draft-Laws and draft Decrees-Laws approved:
Draft Resolution to the National Parliament for the Ratification of the Treaty between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Australia establishing the respective Maritime Borders in the Timor Sea;
Draft Law approving the first amendment to Law no. 8/2008, of June 30, first Law no. 3/2003 of July 1 on the taxation of Bayu-Undan contractors and first amendment to Law no. 4/2003, of 1 July, on the development of Timor Sea oil
Draft Law that approves the Labor and Special Migration Regime applicable to the Bayu-Undan Project;
Draft Law that approves the second amendment to Law 13/2005, of September 2, which approves the Law of Petroleum Activities;
Draft Law approving the third amendment to Law no. 9/2005, of August 3, approving the Petroleum Fund Law;
Decree-Law on the Transition of Oil Bonds and Regulation of Petroleum Activities in the Bayu-Undan Field;
Decree-Law on the Transition of Oil Bonds and Regulation of Petroleum Activities formerly located in the Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA);
Decree-Law on the Transition of Oil Bonds and Regulation of Petroleum Activities in Buffalo Field;
Decree-Law on the Transition of Oil Bonds and Regulation of Petroleum Activities in certain areas of the AC / L5 and WA-18-L Licenses;
Decree-Law approving the first amendment to Decree-Law no. 20/2008, of June 19, establishing the National Petroleum and Mineral Authority. ENDS
