Government of Timor-Leste

The government reaffirms its commitment to joining ASEAN in 2025, highlighting the ongoing co-operation efforts with the Republic of Indonesia in the training of human resources, especially in the area of trade and industry. The decision to become a member of ASEAN in 2025 was confirmed by the Council of Ministers, and international partnerships, such as the one with Indonesia, are an important pillar in this process. 

As a demonstration of this commitment, Timor-Leste's Minister of Trade and Industry, Nino Pereira, met with his Indonesian counterpart, Minister Zulkifli Hasan, in Jakarta on 2 August 2024. During the meeting, they discussed key issues for strengthening trade relations and training national professionals. 

‘The Government of the Republic of Indonesia agrees to continue providing training to Timorese officials in trade negotiations and will support Timor-Leste in joining ASEAN in 2025. In addition, we discussed trade issues between the two countries, with an emphasis on balancing exports and imports,’ said Minister Nino Pereira. 

According to the Minister, the meeting highlighted the joint desire to strengthen the technical capacity of Timorese workers, especially in the area of trade negotiations, in line with the procedures and regulations of the ASEAN Economic Community. He also emphasised the importance of empowering Timorese technicians with robust skills that contribute to the country's sustainable economic development.

Minister Zulkifli Hasan expressed his intention to consolidate this co-operation with a future visit to Timor-Leste, demonstrating continued support for capacity building and the strengthening of bilateral relations.

The meeting between the two ministers was not limited to training and trade negotiations, they also discussed the harmonisation of export and import policies, emphasising balance in bilateral trade, and potential Timorese products that could also be imported into Indonesia were discussed.