Government of Timor-Leste

On July 24^th, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão welcomed Japan's Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ikuina Akiko, to the Government Palace on her first official visit to Timor-Leste. During the meeting, the Japanese official reaffirmed Japan's commitment to continue supporting the development of Timor-Leste, with a particular focus on institutional capacity building, human resources training, and cooperation in the areas of health, infrastructure, agriculture, and economic diversification. 

“I reiterate our commitment to deepening cooperation with Timor-Leste, a country that shares our fundamental values. It is with great satisfaction that we congratulate Timor-Leste on its future accession as a full member of ASEAN. Japan will continue to support the country in various strategic areas,” said Ikuina Akiko after the meeting with the Head of Government.

On the same day, Vice-Minister Ikuina Akiko and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas signed an Agreement on the Exchange of Notes between the two Governments regarding the Japan Development Scholarship (JDS) Program, funded by the Government of Japan. This agreement marks the start of a new phase of the project in 2026, which provides for the award of postgraduate scholarships to eight Timorese civil servants to pursue master's and doctoral studies at Japanese universities. 

Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas highlighted the importance of the project for strengthening national public administration, stating that “this partnership will enable the training of young Timorese professionals in the fields of engineering, agriculture, and other areas that are priorities for national development, with a view to training future leaders committed to building our state.”

Since its inception, the JDS Project has benefited 46 Timorese civil servants, promoting not only technical and academic development, but also cultural exchange between Timor-Leste and Japan.

For Vice-Minister Ikuina Akiko, “the knowledge acquired in Japan and the cultural immersion experience are central elements of this collaboration, which is intended to be long-lasting and mutually enriching.”

The signing ceremony was also attended by the Head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Office in Timor-Leste, Fukumori Daisuke, and the Japanese Ambassador, Tetsuya Kimura. Also participating were the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ambassador João Freitas de Câmara, and other officials from the same institution. 

During her stay in Dili, the Japanese Vice-Minister was also received by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, and attended a welcome dinner hosted by the Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Rangel, in honor of her visit. During the various meetings, the parties reaffirmed their mutual desire to deepen bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation on regional and international issues.