Timor-Leste and S. Tomé and Principe sign a Memorandum of Understanding
From May 13 to 18, the Secretary of State for Natural Resources, Alfredo Pires, was on an official visit to S. Tomé and Principe, where he met with the Minister of Public Works and Natural Resources from this country.
During his visit, Alfredo Pires participated in a workshop where he presented the “Timorese Experience in the Petroleum Industry” and also had the opportunity to speak to the National Petroleum Agency staff, from the joint zone, from the office of registration and public information and members of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) Committee, among others, about themes related with the petroleum industry.
In a public lecture for the civil society, he covered themes such as the “Timor-Leste Sovereign Fund Management”, “The judicial-legal framework and development of the joint Timor-Leste- Australia zone” and “Timor-Leste’s integration in the ITIE”.
In addition to the above, the Secretary of State for Natural Resources and the Minister of Public Works and Natural Resources signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen and extend the cooperation between Timor-Leste and S. Tome and Principe.
This Memorandum has a three year duration and contemplates cooperation in the Natural Resources domain, namely the oil and gas areas, training of the human resources from Sao Tomé working in the petroleum industry, technical and institutional assistance to the Ministry of Public Works and Natural Resources and the National Petroleum Agency (ANP-STP); visits from technical staff from petroleum agencies of both countries and the collaboration between the Petroleum Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative National Committees (ITIE).
It was also decided that a Working Committee should be constituted to follow up on the implementation of the predicted activities.
