Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Anti-Corruption Commission discuss preparation for UNCAC’s implementation review
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, met at the Government Palace, in Dili, on July 31st, 2023, with representatives of the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC) to discuss the preparation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) implementation assessment.
The process involves the country being assessed by two other States, one of them from the same geographical region as the evaluated country and, if possible, with a similar legal system. The selection of the evaluating countries is done by lottery. 
Bulgaria and the Republic of the Marshall Islands will now review the UNCAC implementation report submitted the previous year to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Austria.
During the meeting, it was discussed the need to establish a joint team composed of focal points from the various state institutions relevant to this process, which will be responsible for coordinating and organising the visits of the representatives of the States of Bulgaria and the Marshall Islands.
The representatives of UNCAC Member States, Bulgaria and the Marshall Islands, during their visit to Timor-Leste, will assess the progress and challenges related to the implementation of legislative policies, especially concerning preventive measures (Chapter II) and asset recovery (Chapter V), as well as regarding good practices that Timor-Leste has adopted to fight corruption.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers emphasised the importance of good governance and the fight against corruption for the country's development, stressing that the efficiency of the public sector is essential to ensure sound public service delivery and the effective implementation of the policies outlined in the Strategic Development Plan and the Government Programme. Agio Pereira also emphasised the relevance of conducting transparent and accountable audits and mechanisms in public institutions to ensure sound governance and prevent corruption at all levels of society.
Minister Agio Pereira also stated that it is a short-term priority for the Council of Ministers to approve the names to be proposed to the National Parliament for the position of Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The CAC team that met with Minister Agio included the Director General of Cooperation Support Services, Ersio Guterres, the Head of the Cooperation Unit, João Correia, the Head of the Procurement Unit, Sérgio Gonçalves, and the UNCAC focal points, Alexandre Freitas and Augusto Castro.
