Government of Timor-Leste

At the invitation of the Salomon Islands Government and within the framework of the g7+ initiative, a high-level delegation from Timor-Leste, led by the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, took part in the seminar entitled “Creating Regional Partnership through Peer Learning and Sharing Experience in Natural Resources Management” in Honiara on July 9^th, 2025.   The delegation included representatives from the National Minerals Authority (NMA), Murak Rai Timor (MRT), the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Geosciences Institute of Timor-Leste (IGTL). 

At the opening session, which included speech by the Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification of Salomon Islands, Derrick Rawcliff Manuari, the Secretary General of the g7+, Helder da Costa, and Minister Francisco da Costa Monteiro, the importance of strengthening join learning between countries in transition and in fragile contexts was highlighted. In his speech, Francisco da Costa Monteiro emphasized “the relevance of country-led approaches to natural resources management” and shared Timor-Leste’s experience in creating “legal and institutional frameworks that guarantee transparency, participation and sustainable long-term benefits of natural resources for the population.” 

The seminar included interactive sessions on the governance of the mining and petroleum sectors, the development of the extractive industry, transparency initiatives and geological studies, with the active participation of Timorese and Salomon Islands institutions. 

On the sideline of the event, Minister Francisco da Costa Monteiro met with the Prime Minister of the Salomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, to whom he handed over a letter from the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and Eminent Person of the g7+, Kay Rala Xanan Gusmão. During the meeting, mutual interest was expressed in formalizing bilateral cooperation in the near future through a memorandum of understanding, namely in the areas of natural resources governance, geological mapping and technical capacity building. 

Francisco Monteiro also took part in the 47^th Solomon Islands Independence Day celebrations, which took place in Honiara on July 7. On the sideline of the Solomon Islands Independence Day celebrations, the Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Peter Shanel Agovaka, and the Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Derrick Rawcliff Manuari.

In the meetings, he conveyed congratulations on the commemorative date, expressed his support for the future role of Salomon Islands in the presidency of the g7+ in 2026 and highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in the management of natural resources.   Opportunities for cooperation in geological mapping, technical capacity building and strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks of the extractive industries were addressed, reaffirming Timor-Leste's commitment to cooperation between fragile countries and peer learning within the framework of the g7+. END