Prime Minister discusses strengthening human capital and economic development in a meeting with a diplomat and an academic
On December 17th, 2023, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão held a meeting with the former Ambassador and current Honorary Consul General of Japan in Timor-Leste, I Wao Kitahara, and with Professor Yamada Yutsuya of Japan's Waseda University, to strengthen cooperation and discuss opportunities to boost national development.
I Wao Kitahara and Professor Yamada Yutsuya are recognised as dedicated friends of Timor-Leste, who have actively contributed to the process of building the Timorese state. During the meeting, they discussed the current national development process and the need for assistance from development partners to strengthen the country's human resources and guarantee a prosperous future.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to I Wao Kitahara and Yamada Yutsuy for their contributions to the development of Timor-Leste over time.
The Government of Timor-Leste has appointed I Wao Kitahara as Honorary Consul General of Timor-Leste in Japan to promote Timor-Leste in various sectors and the development of the national economy, including liaison between the private sector and other organisations in the areas of tourism, fisheries, agriculture, the promotion of Timorese coffee in the Japanese market, among other important areas.
The Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel and Timor-Leste's Ambassador to Japan, Ilídio Ximenes da Costa, accompanied the Prime Minister at this meeting.
