The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, received, today, September 8^th, 2026, at the Government Palace, the new Representative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Timor-Leste, Artur Andrysiak, for a courtesy meeting focused on national development priorities and areas of cooperation between the Government and the ADB.

During the meeting, Minister Agio Pereira highlighted economic diversification as a priority of the 9th Constitutional Government and addressed the challenges of Timor-Leste’s full integration into ASEAN and the country’s preparations to assume the Chairmanship of the regional organisation in 2029.

In this context, discussions addressed the need to ensure the timely completion of works at Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport and to strengthen the conditions required to host the scheduled meetings and delegations during the ASEAN Chairmanship. Other development priorities were also examined, including connectivity and infrastructure, the development of the South Coast and Greater Sunrise, and education and vocational training.

Artur Andrysiak reiterated the ADB’s readiness to continue supporting Timor-Leste’s priorities through technical and financial assistance, particularly in infrastructure and transport, economic diversification, education, health, and preparations for the ASEAN Chairmanship.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to review ongoing ADB-supported projects across various areas, namely economic recovery, climate resilience, infrastructure and basic services, connectivity, and economic diversification.

At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed their intention to maintain close coordination to identify priority areas for cooperation between the Government and the Asian Development Bank.

From September 7^th to 10^th, 2026, Timor-Leste is hosting the 79th Session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Dili, bringing together health ministers and senior officials from Member States to set priorities and review health policies and initiatives for the region.

The session is attended by the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is making his first visit to Timor-Leste, and the Acting Head of the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, Nilesh Buddha.

Timor-Leste is hosting a session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia for the first time in 11 years. The Regional Committee is WHO’s decision-making body for the region and brings together its ten Member States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

The opening session took place this Monday, September 7th, 2026, followed by the election of the session’s officers, the presentation of credentials, the adoption of the agenda, the presentation of the report on WHO’s work in the region, and an address by WHO’s Director-General.

One of the key events of the meeting will be the Ministerial Round Table on the theme “Health workforce: equity in specialist care”, scheduled for September 8th. Member States will examine the challenges facing the health workforce and equitable access to specialist care.

Over the course of the four days, the agenda will also cover universal health coverage and health-related Sustainable Development Goals, the elimination of diseases, priorities for intensifying the fight against tuberculosis, access to high-quality medical devices, and the resilience of healthcare facilities.

The digital transformation of healthcare systems will also be discussed, including a proposal to establish the South-East Asia Collaborative Network for Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence (SEA-DAC).

Participants will also assess regional progress across areas including maternal, neonatal, and child health; mental health; non-communicable diseases; viral hepatitis; HIV and sexually transmitted infections; measles and rubella; polio eradication; preparedness for health emergencies; and the fight against malnutrition.

The meeting will also examine budgetary and governance matters relating to WHO, as well as issues arising from the 79th World Health Assembly and the 158th and 159th sessions of the Organisation’s Executive Board.

The programme includes parallel technical sessions on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, climate change and health, climate finance in the health sector, public health security, immunisation, and the prevention of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

The 79th Session will conclude on September 10^th, 2026 with the consideration and adoption of the Regional Committee’s resolutions and decisions, followed by the closing session.

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