Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão Meets with Minister of Home Affairs of Australia to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation
The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, met today, January 28, 2025, at the Government Palace, with the Australian Minister for Home Affairs, who also holds the portfolios of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Cybersecurity and the Arts, Tony Burke MP. 
The meeting was attended by the Minister for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Timor-Leste's Interlocutor for Greater Sunrise discussions, Agio Pereira, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, the Minister for Home Affairs, Francisco da Costa Guterres, Timor-Leste's Ambassador to Australia, Inês Almeida, and Australia's Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Caitlin Wilson. 
During the meeting, Tony Burke underlined Australia's commitment to working in partnership with Timor-Leste to address shared regional challenges. “Australia is committed to working with Timor-Leste to address shared challenges such as irregular migration, including people smuggling and human trafficking, border management and cybersecurity,” he said. 
The Australian Minister also pointed out that “more than 9,500 timorese live in Australia and we appreciate their contribution to our country. Our people-to-people ties with Timor-Leste demonstrate the strength of the bilateral relationship and the potential that exists to expand future cooperation.”
Tony Burke also reiterated the Australian government's support for the sustainable development of East Timor, highlighting common interests in promoting a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. 
The previous day, Tony Burke also met with the Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Culture, Nelyo Isaac Sarmento, and the Secretary of State for Art and Culture, Jorge Soares Cristovão. Together they visited the exhibition “Jarracharra - Vento da Estação Seca” (Jarracharra - Wind of the Dry Season), on display at the Fundação Oriente, which presents a collection of textile art created by indigenous women from the Babarra Women's Centre, in Australia's Northern Territory.men's Centre, in Australia's Northern Territory.
