Government meets with Ambassador of Australia in Timor-Leste
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Acting Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, met today, June 4, 2020, with the Ambassador of Australia in Timor-Leste, Peter Roberts.
During the meeting, the partnerships between Timor-Leste and Australia that are currently taking place and new areas of cooperation for the future were discussed. The Minister also presented to the diplomat the Government's vision and plan for economic recovery, noting in particular that the employment support measures, which include exemptions in social security contributions and the extraordinary allowance of 60% of workers' pay, to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and to help stabilize employment.
One of the issues of cooperation between Timor-Leste and Australia addressed at the meeting refers to the agreement signed between the two countries on 26 May 2020 for a direct financial contribution from the Government of Australia to Timor-Leste, worth seven million Australian dollars (about US$4.8 million), to support community resilience and national economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. This agreement will finance community infrastructure projects, covering one third of all sucos in Timor-Leste through the National Suco Development Program (PNDS). The resources will be targeted directly to the sucos, helping to generate local jobs and economic activities and provide basic infrastructure, such as water, sanitation, and irrigation systems.
The Ambassador of Australia reiterated his interest in continuing to support Timor-Leste, notably in terms of national economic resilience and in responding to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
