Government of Timor-Leste

The Secretary of State for the Support and Promotion of the Private Sector, Veneranda Lemos, the Ambassador of New Zealand, Tony Fautua, and Michiko Miyamoto, Deputy Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office for Indonesia and Timor-Leste signed on August 23, an agreement that New Zealand will support the Business Opportunities and Support Services (BOSS) Project.

New Zealand will contribute USD 3.9 million to support the BOSS Project implemented by ILO and the Instituto de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Empresarial (IADE). The project provides market-oriented services to Timorese enterprises, including contractors, and to develop the beef cattle, horticulture and tourism sectors.

This project is under the tutelage of the Secretary of State for the Promotion and Support of the Private Sector (SEAPRI).

Secretary of State Veneranda Lemos said “New Zealand’s contribution to the BOSS Project sets a positive example of a development partner aligning with the Government’s Strategic Development Plan. The fifth Government of Timor-Leste aims at establishing the private sector as the primary source of growth in incomes and employment in rural areas. I am very pleased with the cooperation with New Zealand”.

New Zealand Ambassador Tony Fautua declared “New Zealand sees an active, entrepreneurial private sector as vital to Timor-Leste’s development. We are very pleased to be working with the Timor-Leste Government to develop key growth sectors and business development services through the BOSS Project. New Zealand’s assistance through the project will generate approximately 1000 jobs and business start-ups of 750 in the community”.

Jürgen Schwettmann, the Director of the ILO Partnerships and Development Cooperation Department noted that the BOSS Project has made a significant contribution to the creation of jobs. “Based on the achievements of the BOSS Project to date, I am confident that New Zealand’s funds are well spent. For example, a recent study on IADE’s business management training courses showed that for entrepreneurs and contractors who participated in IADE’s training the sales revenue increased by on average 40%”.