available soon
available soon
available soon
available soon
On October 13th, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes, attended the inaugural Xingu Finance Talks, a high-level roundtable focused on solutions to improve climate-action financing.
The COP30 Presidency organised the initiative as part of the Veredas Dialogue, convening government representatives, international financial institutions, the private sector, and the academic community at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
The Xingu Finance Talks were established by a decision of the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 7), held in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025, as an annual high-level platform to promote the exchange of perspectives and to identify practical solutions to the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing Article 2(1)(c) of the Paris Agreement and with its complementarity with Article 9.
These provisions address, respectively, the need to align financial flows with a pathway towards low greenhouse-gas emissions and climate-resilient development, and the provision of climate finance for developing countries.
In this first edition, discussions centred on two priority areas: expanding fiscal space for climate action investments and reducing the cost of capital through risk-sharing mechanisms and guarantees.
Speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, Vice-Minister Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes set out these countries’ priorities and emphasised that climate finance must help protect populations, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable development.
The Vice-Minister argued that financing mechanisms should reduce vulnerabilities rather than exacerbate them, create opportunities without increasing debt burdens, and deliver tangible results for the populations and communities most affected by climate change.
Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes also emphasised the need to ensure that climate finance is accessible, affordable, and responsive to the specific circumstances of the most vulnerable countries, particularly the Least Developed Countries, so they can build adaptive capacity and pursue climate-resilient development models.
On October 11th, a technical workshop preceded the high-level roundtable and focused on identifying practical solutions in the two priority areas. The outcomes of the Xingu Finance Talks are expected to inform the Veredas Dialogue’s work on implementing the Paris Agreement’s financial provisions.
The position presented at the Xingu Finance Talks aligns with Timor-Leste’s position in other international forums on climate change and sustainable development. On October 13th, at the Second Committee of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Timor-Leste also advocated strengthening climate finance, technology transfer, and national capacities, as well as international support tailored to the circumstances of the most vulnerable countries.
Soon
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of State Administration have determined the temporary suspension of face-to-face teaching activities on October 15th, 16th, and 17th, 2026, throughout the national territory, as a preventive measure to protect the health of students, teachers, and other members of the educational community, given current air quality conditions.
The measure covers public, private, and cooperative establishments within the public education system, ranging from pre-school and primary and secondary schools (Years 1-9) through to general Senior Secondary School (Years 10–12) and Vocational Secondary Education.
The decision followed information from the National Directorate of Meteorology and Geophysics (DNMG – acronym in Portuguese) on deteriorating air quality linked to polluting particles from fires and burning in the region. In recent days, Dili recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) values between 165 and 174, which are considered harmful to health.
The DNMG has been monitoring the situation and has warned that concentrations of smoke and pollutants may rise again in the coming days, depending on atmospheric conditions and smoke transport from the region.
The suspension of face-to-face teaching activities also reflects the risks of exposure to these particles and the concern expressed by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, regarding the potential health effects of the current situation on children and young people.
Schools will use this Wednesday, October 14th, to prepare students for the three-day suspension of face-to-face activities. Heads of educational establishments must ensure that teachers set homework and provide guidance on monitoring home study during this period.
Between October 15th and 17th, alternative pedagogical support modalities may be adopted in accordance with guidelines from the competent services. Educational establishments must also draw up specific plans to recover teaching and learning activities.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of State Administration recommend that families keep children indoors unnecessarily during this period and avoid outdoor physical activities. When leaving home is necessary, the use of appropriate respiratory protection is recommended.
It is also recommended that doors and windows remain closed during periods of elevated smoke or pollutant particle concentrations, and that the burning of waste or other materials that could aggravate atmospheric pollution be avoided.
Heads of educational establishments must ensure that these guidelines are disseminated to students, teachers, staff, parents and guardians, and the wider educational community.
Schools outside the public education network and international schools are likewise recommended to take current air quality conditions and the protection of children’s health into account when defining their activities.
On October 10th, 2026, the Minister of Public Works, Samuel Marçal, accompanied by technical teams from the Ministry, conducted a follow-up visit to several road and bridge construction and rehabilitation projects in the municipality of Manufahi to assess progress, verify construction quality, and identify measures necessary to ensure compliance with deadlines and technical specifications.
The visit included, among others, the Alas–Dotik, Luak–Betano, and Betano–Fatuberliu road projects, as well as the construction of the Turon Bridge. The Minister also visited sites where interventions are planned to improve community connections, specifically through the construction of bridges in Serema and Laklo.
On the Alas–Dotik section, the Minister personally monitored progress to assess execution and working conditions, ensuring compliance with technical specifications and quality standards. The project spans 16.25 kilometres and represents an estimated investment of US$15.4 million.
On National Highway A14 between Luak and Betano, the Minister requested additional workers, technicians, and equipment to accelerate work, particularly for drainage and road protection structures ahead of the rainy season.
The rehabilitation of the Luak–Betano link is divided into two sections, measuring 5.1 and 4.05 kilometres, with investments of approximately US$4.98 million and US$4.83 million, respectively. During the visit, it was noted that physical execution of the second section stood at around 40%. Weather conditions have affected progress, and the contractor has requested an extension of the completion deadline—originally scheduled for September 2026—to March 2027.
Regarding the Betano–Fatuberliu link, the Minister ordered alignment corrections at certain points, the completion of drainage structures, and the reinforcement of human resources and equipment allocated to the project. The project, divided into three packages, represents a total investment of approximately US$11.8 million and, at the time of the visit, had achieved a physical execution rate of about 25%.
The Minister also inspected the construction of the Turon Bridge in the hamlet of Turon, Babulu village, Same Administrative Post, and called for the work to be accelerated to achieve tangible progress on the ground before the rainy season. Samuel Marçal warned that the Ministry of Public Works may enforce contractual measures, including contract termination, if the project fails to make significant progress.
During the same visit, Samuel Marçal visited Serema, where the Ministry of Public Works will conduct a technical survey to prepare for the construction of a future bridge. The infrastructure aims to improve mobility during the rainy season and to facilitate community access to healthcare, education, and markets. According to local authorities, the future bridge could benefit communities across three villages and eight hamlets.
In Laklo, within the Alas Administrative Post, the Ministry will likewise conduct a detailed technical study to assess the requirements for building a new bridge. The infrastructure is expected to improve connections between Dotik and Alas, Alas and Tutuluru, and Tutuluru and Turiscai, thereby facilitating population movement and the transport of agricultural produce.
The visit to Manufahi forms part of the Ministry of Public Works’ ongoing monitoring of infrastructure projects across the national territory, with particular attention to work quality, compliance with contractual obligations, and preparation of infrastructure for the rainy season.
Since early October, the Ministry has also recorded progress on several other road and bridge projects. In Ataúro, the rehabilitation of the first section between Vila Maumeta and Beloi, covering 4.5 kilometres, reached 87.71% completion, while the second package between Biqueli and Beloi stood at 77.44%. In Natarbora, Manatuto, the 110-metre Lamara Bridge reached 50% completion, while the Samalari Bridge in Baguia, Baucau, reached 33.66%.
Work also continues on the rehabilitation of the 18.5-kilometre road between Hatubuilico in Ainaro and Letefoho in Ermera, where asphalt paving is underway, with completion scheduled for December this year.
On October 13th, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão received five fire engines from the Government of Japan for the Civil Protection Authority, intended to strengthen Timor-Leste’s firefighting and emergency response capacity.
The vehicles were handed over by the Ambassador of Japan to Timor-Leste, Yasushi Yamamoto, at a ceremony attended by the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Domingos Mariano Reis, and representatives of the Civil Protection Authority.
The support, totalling US$333,987, was provided through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) programme. Of the five vehicles delivered, four will be used in Dili and one in the municipality of Lautém.
The handover formalises the project to reuse fire engines in Dili and Lautém, agreed in February 2025 between the Government of Japan and the Civil Protection Authority. The project provides a range of vehicles to support firefighting and emergency response operations.
The support also includes five days of training for Timorese firefighters in operating, using, and maintaining the vehicles to ensure proper use and to strengthen the operational capacity of response teams.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Yasushi Yamamoto highlighted the cooperation developed between the two countries and expressed the expectation that the new equipment and training will contribute to strengthening Timor-Leste’s capacity in firefighting and emergency response, as well as to protecting lives and property.
The diplomat also emphasised the importance of regular vehicle maintenance to ensure their operational readiness and long-term use.
Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão expressed gratitude, on behalf of the Government and people of Timor-Leste, for the support provided by the Government and people of Japan and recalled the cooperation Japan has extended to the country across various development sectors since 1999.
Since 2000, the GGP programme has supported various projects with a direct impact on communities in Timor-Leste, including the construction and rehabilitation of schools and health facilities, water supply systems, and the provision of vehicles and equipment for public services.
According to the Embassy of Japan, 148 projects had been supported by this programme up to 2025, covering various national municipalities and the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cússe Ambeno.
available soon