Government of Timor-Leste

The Minister for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Timor-Leste's Interlocutor for the Greater Sunrise discussions, Agio Pereira, met today, January 29th, 2025, by videoconference, with Steve Bracks AC, in a farewell meeting that marked the end of his mandate as Australia's Special Representative for the Greater Sunrise project.

The meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the progress made during Steve Bracks' tenure, recognize his contributions and discuss future prospects for the development of the Greater Sunrise project.

 During the meeting, Minister Agio Pereira highlighted the important role played by Steve Bracks throughout the process, namely in promoting the concept of an Infrastructure Fund for the development of the project, capitalized from part of Australia's share of future revenues from the Greater Sunrise project. He also acknowledged Bracks' efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, which contributed to greater confidence and optimism about the future of the project.

Minister Pereira expressed his gratitude for Steve Bracks' dedication over the last few years, underlining the importance of continued cooperation between the two countries to ensure the sustainable and mutually beneficial progress of the Greater Sunrise project. 

The meeting also allowed for an exchange of ideas on the project's next steps, including Timor-Leste's perspectives, strategies to address the results of the British company Wood's report and the definition of new points of contact to ensure effective coordination between the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia.

 The study carried out by Wood between April and November 2024 confirms that the option of developing the project in Timor-Leste is viable and offers significant economic and social benefits for the country.

The Government of Timor-Leste reaffirms its commitment to the development of Greater Sunrise as a strategic priority for the promotion of economic growth and the well-being of the Timorese people, maintaining close collaboration with its international partners.

The Greater Sunrise gas fields are located about 140 km south of the coast of Timor-Leste. The consortium responsible for developing the fields (Sunrise Joint Venture) is made up of TIMOR GAP, with a 56.6% stake, Woodside, with 33.44%, and Osaka Gas Australia, with 10%.