Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on May 27th, 2026

The Council of Ministers met in the Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão Auditorium at the Ministry of Finance in Dili to review the status of budget execution by government departments and their respective autonomous agencies under the 2026 General State Budget (2026 GSB), approved by Law No. 8/2025 of November 27^th. All members of the Government, as well as the heads of the institutes and agencies within the State’s indirect administration, attended the meeting.

As of May 26^th, 2026, execution of the 2026 GSB reached 30%. Of the total budget (including social security), set at US$2.445 billion, approximately US$736 million has been spent to date. During the meeting, the main challenges in budget execution were analysed, particularly those related to implementing the new Procurement and Public Contracts Code, as well as the needs and measures aimed at strengthening capacity to execute the programmes and projects outlined in the 2026 GSB. The operation of the computerised procurement system was also presented and analysed. END

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8.30 am – Ministry of Finance

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Agio Pereira, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, emphasised today, May 25^th, 2026, in Dili, the importance of strengthening public institutions, modernising the state, and promoting regional integration in Timor-Leste during the session dedicated to the Institutional Development Sector as part of the annual meeting with Timor-Leste’s Development Partners (TLDPM), under the theme “Charting a Resilient Horizon: Blue Economy, ASEAN Integration, and Coordinated Action.” The meeting brings together officials from the Government, development partners, and representatives from civil society and the private sector to analyse national strategic priorities, development challenges, and institutional coordination mechanisms. 

In his remarks, the minister stated that “strong institutions are the foundation of everything,” adding that “a predictable and reliable government builds trust—the trust of its citizens and of the partners and investors whose involvement can help us grow.”

Agio Pereira emphasised that institutional development is one of the priorities of the 9th Constitutional Government, in line with the 2011–2030 Strategic Development Plan, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Timor-Leste’s commitments within the ASEAN framework.

The minister also highlighted Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN, which will be finalised in October 2025, and noted that this marks “the beginning of a new journey.” He added that “we are not mere spectators of ASEAN integration. We are its builders,” and noted that Timor-Leste will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029.

During his speech, Agio Pereira also addressed the challenges of economic and institutional development, advocating investment in human capital, digital transformation, the blue economy, and social inclusion. “Human capital is not a secondary priority. It is the driving force behind everything else,” he stated.

The minister also emphasised the need to bring public services closer to the people and to promote inclusion through administrative modernisation. “The digital government (…) is not merely an exercise in modernisation, but an act of inclusion,” he stated.

The technical presentation by the Institutional Development Sector was delivered by Natália Sarmento, Coordinator of the Office for the Development of Strategic Public Policies (GDPPE) within the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers. The presentation highlighted the Sector’s main achievements and priorities within the framework for implementing Government Resolution No. 43/2024, which established the Interministerial Commissions for Sectoral Development Coordination (CICDS). Within this interministerial coordination framework, the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers chairs the Institutional Development Sector commission.

During the presentation, national progress and strategic priorities were highlighted across government coordination, justice, security, defence, international relations and cooperation, state administration, administrative decentralisation, local governance, border management and migration, civil protection, digital transformation, public administration, spatial planning, and regional integration. Priorities also included strengthening inter-ministerial coordination, modernising the state, strengthening democratic institutions and institutional capacity, improving the delivery of public services, and preparing Timor-Leste for the challenges and opportunities arising from integration into ASEAN and growing national participation in regional and international mechanisms.

At the end of his remarks, Agio Pereira emphasised that “the institutions we are building today are not for us. They are for those who will come after us,” arguing for the need to prepare future generations to take “their place at the table of nations.”

The meeting with Timor-Leste’s development partners will be held on May 25^th and 26^th at the Ministry of Finance, bringing together representatives of the Government, international partners, and national institutions to discuss development priorities, public policy coordination, and strategic cooperation across various areas.

The 9th Constitutional Government will hold the annual meeting with Timor-Leste’s Development Partners (TLDPM) on May 25^th and 26^th, 2026, at the Ministry of Finance, under the theme “Charting a Resilient Horizon: Blue Economy, ASEAN Integration, and Coordinated Action.” The meeting will bring together members of the Government, development partners, representatives of civil society, and the private sector to analyse national strategic priorities, development challenges, and institutional coordination mechanisms. 

At the opening session, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão stated that “Timor-Leste’s resilience [...] is not merely the result of our people’s determination. It is also the result of the friendship, solidarity, and support we have received from our partners, from the struggle for independence to the building and consolidation of the state and the nation.”

The Head of the Government noted that the meeting is taking place at a symbolic moment for the country, following the celebrations of the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence. He emphasised that “this was a celebration with very special significance. We celebrated 24 years of independence, a period equivalent to the duration of the struggle for independence.” He added that “this historic date is proof that a nation, even a small one, can achieve great victories when it fights with courage, awareness, national unity, and love for the homeland.”

During the TLDPM’s presentation, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen coordination between the Government and international partners, arguing that “these partnerships will only realise their full potential if they are based on a clear alignment between national priorities, funding, implementation strategies, and robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.”

The meeting’s agenda is divided between the plenary session on the morning of the first day and sector-specific interministerial sessions focused on key national development priorities. On the morning of the first day, the agenda includes presentations on the Policy and Action Plan for the Promotion of a Resilient and Sustainable Blue Economy, the monitoring report on the 2011-2030 Strategic Development Plan, Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN, and public administration reform. In the afternoon, discussions will focus on institutional and economic development, including strategic public policies, government coordination, and national economic priorities. On the second day, discussions will continue with sessions dedicated to infrastructure and social capital development.

Within the scope of the Blue Economy, the Prime Minister emphasised that “the 9th Constitutional Government has adopted a clear strategic vision: to transform our sea—which is central to our identity, economy, and geopolitics—into a source of sustainable development, social inclusion, and environmental resilience.” He added that “for Timor-Leste, the Blue Economy is not only a strategy for survival but also for development and climate resilience.”

Regarding the Strategic Development Plan (SDP), Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão stated that he views the document “not as a government plan, but as a collective legacy of the nation,” and argued for the need to “accelerate its implementation and translate progress into measurable results in people’s lives.”

Timor-Leste’s full integration into ASEAN is also a key topic of the meeting. The Prime Minister stated that joining the regional organisation “marks yet another historic milestone in our 24-year journey as an independent state” and added that “being part of ASEAN is, in itself, a constant exercise in commitment, responsibility, and coordinated action.”

In closing his remarks, the Prime Minister called for strengthened cooperation with partners, stating that “we will make history together, once again,” “prove to the world, once again, that our resilience overcomes our weaknesses, and that our coordinated action overcomes any obstacles to sustainable development.”

“Charting a Resilient Horizon: Blue Economy, ASEAN Integration and Coordinated Action”

 

Speech by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
25 May 2026