Groundbreaking ceremony for the Manatuto Industrial Park promotes industrial growth and employment opportunities
On March 30th, 2026, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and members of the Government attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Manatuto Industrial Park in the municipality of Manatuto. This investment was promoted by the Timorese company Esperansa Timor-Oan (ETO), aiming to boost industrialisation, create jobs, and reduce dependence on imports. 
The project involves an estimated investment of between US$13 million and US$15 million. It includes five industrial facilities: a box manufacturing plant, a metal fabrication facility, a canned sardine processing plant, a slaughterhouse and meat processing plant, and a rice milling plant.
During the construction phase, the project is expected to create between 150 and 200 jobs. In the operational phase, it is projected to generate between 600 and 700 direct jobs, along with over 1,000 indirect jobs.
At the ceremony, Minister of Trade and Industry Nino Pereira underscored the importance of this project in achieving the vision of “economic diversification, job creation, and opening strategic pathways to the future.” He also stressed that this “industrial park is not merely physical infrastructure but will become a symbol of the country’s ability to innovate, produce, and reduce dependence on imports. Through these investments, the country is preparing to integrate into the ASEAN economic community fully.”
The project encourages local production, especially in the agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, and aims to promote the domestic processing of raw materials, creating more integrated value chains. The initiative will also help improve food security, cut import costs, and enhance the competitiveness of the national economy.
The Government considers this investment aligns with national economic development priorities and the strategy to prepare Timor-Leste for full integration into the ASEAN economic community. The project also strengthens the private sector’s role as a catalyst for growth.
Opting for Manatuto is part of a strategy for economic decentralisation; it encourages regional development, offers opportunities beyond the capital, and boosts local economies.
The Minister of Trade and Industry and the Minister of Justice, along with a representative from the World Bank, the President of the CCI-TL, and the Executive Director of TradeInvest TL, also took part in an interactive discussion on the role of industry in national development, held on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony.
Members of the Government, municipal officials, private sector representatives, and development partners attended the ceremony.
