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Encontra-se aberto o concurso para primeiro acesso a Juiz Desembargador do novo Tribunal de Recurso, nos termos da Lei de Organização Judiciária.

Estão abertas nove vagas, incluindo os cinco Juízes que presentemente integram o Tribunal de Recurso, dispondo os candidatos do prazo de 30 dias seguidos, contados a partir do dia seguinte ao da publicação do Aviso no Jornal da República, para se candidatarem.

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Encontra-se aberto o concurso para primeiro acesso a Juiz do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, nos termos da Lei de Organização Judiciária.

Estão abertas seis vagas, distribuídas entre Juízes de carreira, Magistratura do Ministério Público e Jurista de mérito, dispondo os candidatos do prazo de 30 dias seguidos, contados a partir do dia seguinte ao da publicação do Aviso no Jornal Oficial, para formalizar a candidatura.

Para consultar todas as disposições relativas às vagas a concurso, requisitos de candidatura, processo de avaliação, tramitação do procedimento e demais condições aplicáveis, deve ser consultado o Aviso em anexo.

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9.00 am, Government Palace

Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on July 1st, 2026

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Justice, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, for the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 10/2012 of February 29^th, which establishes the Special Career Path and Statute of the Prison Guard.

The purpose of this Decree-Law is to revise the Special Career Regime and Statute for Prison Guards, in effect since 2012, to clarify the rules for career advancement, recognise the value of prison guards, and enhance the effectiveness of the prison system.

Among the main amendments introduced by this Decree-Law are the creation of the rank of Chief Prison Guard, the revision of promotion rules, the increase in the salary supplement to 50% of the base salary, the right to a meal during shifts, and the creation of an exceptional seniority-based promotion system for prison guards who have remained at the highest rank of their respective category for more than eight years, provided they meet the legal requirements. The law also introduces adjustments to recruitment, training, and the exercise of leadership duties.

The purpose of this revision is to recognise the merit and dedication of prison guards, create better opportunities for career advancement, and contribute to improving security and the quality of services in correctional facilities.

This draft Decree-Law had already been discussed at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 13^th, 2024. However, following adjustments made during the final drafting process—specifically to harmonise the compensation system, provide for the right to a meal during work shifts, and establish a transitional system for extraordinary promotions—it became necessary to review and deliberate on it again.

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The Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes, presented the Council of Ministers with the programme for the official visit to Timor-Leste by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, to be held on July 2^nd and 3^rd, 2026.

The programme includes meetings with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, a bilateral meeting between the delegations of the two countries, a joint press conference, and an official luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. The visit also includes the President of the Republic awarding the Order of Timor-Leste to the Prime Minister of Singapore in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

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This was followed by a presentation from the Minister of Transport and Communications, Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, on progress in implementing the Timor-Leste Southern Submarine Cable System (TLSSC) and the national terrestrial fibre-optic network.

The presentation reported on the completion of the installation and testing of the international submarine cable—which has already been declared ready for commercial operation—as well as on the creation of the public corporation Cabos de Timor-Leste, EP, responsible for managing this strategic infrastructure, and on progress towards its operationalisation.

The main initiatives currently underway or planned were also presented, including preparations for the start of commercial operations, strengthening the company’s operational capacity, increasing redundancy in international connections, enhancing cybersecurity, and expanding the national fibre-optic network, with the aim of strengthening national digital connectivity and boosting the digital economy.

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Lastly, Defence Minister Donaciano do Rosário Gomes gave a presentation to the Council of Ministers on the project to build the FALINTIL-Timor-Leste Defence Forces (F-FDTL) Military Hospital, carried out as part of bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and the People’s Republic of China.

During the presentation, the Chinese technical mission responsible for the project’s preparatory work outlined the key features of the future Timor-Leste–China Friendship Hospital, to be built next to the Ministry of Defence and the F-FDTL Headquarters in Dili. The project includes a general hospital with a capacity of 100 beds, covering approximately 10,500 square metres, featuring an eight-storey main building and support structures, equipped with modern medical technology and designed to provide outpatient care, emergency services, inpatient care, diagnostic imaging, clinical laboratory services, and intensive care.

A presentation was also given on the establishment of an Interministerial Committee to oversee and monitor the construction of the future Military Hospital.

This strategic project aims to strengthen the operational capacity of the F-FDTL, complement the services provided by the National Health Service, improve responses to emergencies, disasters, and humanitarian crises, promote training and development in military medicine, reduce dependence on treatment abroad, and benefit the civilian population, thereby contributing to the strengthening of national capacity in the health sector and to the country’s economic development. END

On June 29^th, 2026, the National Parliament approved two draft resolutions advancing Timor-Leste’s integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ensuring the implementation of the rights and obligations arising from Timor-Leste’s status as the organisation’s 11th member state. The plenary session was attended by Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Maria da Costa Rangel and Vice Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Adérito Hugo da Costa, representing the Government. 

The two proposals were approved by the Council of Ministers at its meetings on February 20^th and June 3^rd, 2026, respectively, and were subsequently submitted to the National Parliament.

The first resolution approves the amendment to the Schedule of Commitments annexed to the ASEAN Agreement on the Movement of Natural Persons (MNP). The amendment, adopted as a harmonised model for all ASEAN Member States, consists solely of technical reformatting and does not change the content or scope of the commitments undertaken by Timor-Leste.

During the plenary session, the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs clarified that the agreement was reformatted after Timor-Leste’s accession negotiations concluded, making new ratification necessary to ensure the document’s compliance with ASEAN’s common format. She also explained that the Agreement on the Movement of Natural Persons applies only to the mobility of qualified professionals among ASEAN Member States, while national immigration and labour laws remain fully applicable.

The second resolution ratifies the Cebu Protocol amending the ASEAN Charter, adopted at the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026. The protocol formally updates the organisation’s Charter to reflect Timor-Leste’s admission as its 11th member state. Also, it updates the official list of member states, the flag, and the ASEAN emblem.

The Vice Minister explained that this amendment is necessary because the ASEAN Charter still refers to only ten member states. Ratification will complete the update of the organisation’s legal framework, and formal approval by the Heads of State and Government is expected at the next ASEAN Summit, to be held in Manila from November 11^th to 13^th, 2026.

Timor-Leste officially joined ASEAN on October 26^th, 2025. Since then, the Government has been promoting the legislative, institutional, and technical measures necessary to ensure the country’s full integration into the organisation’s mechanisms.

The adoption of these two resolutions marks another step in this process, aimed at ensuring that ASEAN’s legal framework reflects its composition of eleven member states and at supporting the full implementation of Timor-Leste’s rights and obligations as a member of the organisation.

On June 29^th, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, held a bilateral meeting in Seoul with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Cho Hyun, marking the first official visit by a Timorese Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Republic of Korea since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2002. The meeting strengthened political dialogue and deepened bilateral cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. 

During the meeting, the two ministers reaffirmed the excellent relations between Timor-Leste and the Republic of Korea and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation across labour mobility, trade and investment, energy, green industry, education, human resources development, public safety, maritime safety, combating transnational crime, and people-to-people exchanges.

Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas highlighted the potential of Timor-Leste’s young population as one of the country’s greatest strategic assets and expressed the Government’s interest in gaining a deeper understanding of the Republic of Korea’s successful development experience, particularly how it has capitalised on its demographic dividend.

The two ministers also discussed strengthening cooperation between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN following Timor-Leste’s accession as the organisation’s 11th member state in 2025. In this context, they explored ways to support Timor-Leste’s preparations to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029. They discussed Timor-Leste’s contribution to deepening relations between the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia.

The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues, reiterating their shared commitment to peace, stability, multilateralism, and respect for the rules-based international order.

At the end of the meeting, both expressed confidence that the discussions would deepen the partnership between Timor-Leste and the Republic of Korea, strengthening bilateral cooperation for the benefit of both countries and the region’s prosperity, security, and sustainable development.

On June 29^th, 2026, the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, met in Lisbon with Portugal’s Minister of Home Affairs, Luís Neves, and the Deputy Minister and Minister for State Reform, Gonçalo Matias, to sign two cooperation agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation in electoral administration, administrative simplification, and the modernisation of public administration. 

At the meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs—also attended by the Deputy Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Paulo Simões Ribeiro, and the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Rui Rocha—the friendship, trust, and cooperation between the two countries were reaffirmed.

During the meeting, the Minister of State Administration outlined ongoing efforts to reform Timor-Leste’s electoral legal framework, modernise the electoral system, strengthen its inclusiveness, and align it with international best practices. In this context, he highlighted Portugal’s experience in organising and managing electoral processes and expressed interest in deepening technical cooperation between the two governments.

Following the meeting, the Protocol on Cooperation in Administration, Organisation, and Management of Electoral Processes was signed, establishing a framework for collaboration to share technical expertise, build institutional capacity, and strengthen cooperation between the two countries in this area.

On the same day, Tomás do Rosário Cabral met with Gonçalo Matias, Deputy Minister, and Minister for State Reform, and the two signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in administrative simplification and modernisation.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experiences on administrative streamlining, integrated service delivery, and digital transformation, and to identify areas for cooperation to improve the efficiency of public administration, facilitate citizens’ access to public services, and strengthen the institutional capacity of the entities responsible for administrative modernisation.

The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the protocols that have now been signed, promoting the exchange of best practices and developing joint initiatives to modernise public administration and strengthen the institutions of both countries.

The Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Portugal, Manuel António Araújo Serrano, representatives of the Embassy of Timor-Leste, and a delegation from the Ministry of State Administration attended the meetings and the signing of the cooperation agreements.

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