Prime Minister

Ninth Constitutional Government

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Dili, 27 November 2025

Press Release

Statement by H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, on the tragedy in Hong Kong

The devastating fire in Hong Kong is a tragic and heartbreaking event.

Our hearts are with the families and friends of all who have lost their lives, and with those who remain missing.

We pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery of the firefighters, first responders, and all those working tirelessly in rescue and recovery efforts.

On behalf of the Government and people of Timor-Leste, I express our solidarity with the people of China at this terrible time. END

On November 25th, 2025, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão presided over in the Noble Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Dili, the opening session of the 5th Seminar of the CPLP Countries’ Sea Forum, dedicated to the theme “Legal Challenges in the Management and Use of the Sea,” emphasizing the sea as an indispensable factor for sustainable economic growth and social development in Portuguese-speaking countries. 

In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that, “Despite the complexity of these challenges — legal, technological, and environmental — we know that the sea is an essential factor for the sustainable economic growth and social development of our countries, both now and in the future. Inaction is not na option!” He also stressed that cooperation between CPLP countries “has never been more important than in today’s world — an era marked by uncertainty, tension and fragmentation at the global level.”

Xanana Gusmão recalled that Timor-Leste is the only CPLP country located in Southeast Asia and that it recently became the 11th member of ASEAN, a fact that represents “new opportunities for economic and political cooperation,” as well as new responsibilities in bringing Southeast Asian countries and Portuguese-speaking countries closer together. The Head of the Government also referred to the progress made by the CPLP since the approval of the CPLP Strategy for the Ocean and the Dili Action Plan in 2016, which reinforce joint governance of the maritime space, protection of the marine environment, and sustainable development of Portuguese-speaking communities.

The Prime Minister identified three priority areas for concerted action by CPLP countries: “maritime sovereignty and boundary resolution,” “promoting the Blue Economy for sustainable development,” and “projecting the CPLP’s Strategic Vision for the Ocean.” In this context, he recalled Timor-Leste’s experience in the mandatory conciliation process under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the delimitation of maritime borders with Australia, as an example of peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law.

In the area of Blue Economy, Xanana Gusmão highlighted the richness of Timor-Leste’s marine biodiversity, located in the Coral Triangle, and referred to the “Policy and Action Plan for the Promotion of a Resilient and Sustainable Ocean Economy in Timor-Leste, 2025-2035”, recently approved in preliminary form by the Government, as a “roadmap for the integrated and inclusive growth of the country’s coastal, marine and maritime sectors”, focusing on “diversify our economy, generate income for our people, and create employment opportunities for our young population,” while also contributing “to the broader vision for the promotion, development and conservation of marine resources and their ecosystems”.

The seminar, organized by the National Defense Institute of Timor-Leste (IDN-TL), which will assume the Executive Secretariat of the CPLP Maritime Forum for the period 2024–2025, brings together experts in maritime law, government representatives, academics, and professionals from the maritime sector of Portuguese-speaking countries. The program includes three thematic panels on the legal foundations of maritime law and relevant international instruments, maritime border issues and territorial disputes, as well as the environment, sustainability, and maritime safety, including challenges related to ecosystem protection, economic activity at sea, and the impact of climate change.

On the sidelines of the 5th Seminar of the CPLP Sea Forum, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the g7+ and the National Defense Institute of Timor-Leste, signed by the Secretary-General of the g7+, Helder da Costa, and the Acting Director of IDN-TL, Nuno M. Corvelo de A. Sarmento. The Memorandum establishes a partnership to strengthen collaboration on educational and training programs in areas related to peace, security, and governance, as well as for the participation of g7+ member states in higher education and training activities promoted by IDN-TL.

The opening session was attended by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, Donaciano Costa Gomes, the Minister of the Interior, Francisco da Costa Guterres, the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus, other members of the Government, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Dili, participants in the Integrated Joint Staff Course, and delegations from CPLP member states.

The 5th Seminar of the CPLP Countries’ Sea Forum will take place in Dili on November 25th and 26th, 2025, in person and online, and will include, on the second day, a plenary meeting of the Forum members and the ceremony for the transfer of the Executive Secretariat to a new institutional member, ensuring the continuity of work and maritime cooperation in the Portuguese-speaking world.

Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Timor-Leste and Woodside Energy

Ninth Constitutional Government

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

25 November 2025

New Era of Cooperation Dawns for Greater Sunrise

The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Timor-Leste (MPRM) and Woodside Energy Ltd (Woodside) are pleased to announce the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (Agreement) to carry out studies and activities to mature a Timor-based LNG concept (TLNG).

The Agreement marks a significant milestone in the longstanding efforts by Timor-Leste and Woodside to unlock the value of the Greater Sunrise gas fields and reflects a renewed spirit of good-faith collaboration and commitment among the parties.

Under the Agreement, MPRM and Woodside will carry out commercial and technical maturation activities for a greenfield Timor-based approximately 5 million tonne per annum LNG concept with a domestic gas facility and a helium extraction plant. These activities will run in parallel to the ongoing negotiation of the fiscal, regulatory and legal frameworks to support the upstream development of the Greater Sunrise fields between the Sunrise Joint Venture, Timor-Leste and Australian governments.

The Agreement includes a high-level plan outlining key activities required to mature and progress this opportunity, under which first LNG may be produced as early as 2032-2035, subject to concept selection and investment decisions.

Timor-Leste Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, His Excellency Francisco da Costa Monteiro, said the Agreement sent a clear message that the Government of Timor-Leste and Woodside are united in their ambition to bring Greater Sunrise into production in a way that benefits all stakeholders.

“The TLNG project presents the best economic, social, and strategic benefits for the people of Timor-Leste, and we are committed to working constructively with Woodside, the Greater Sunrise joint venture and other parties to take the project forward and to make our vision for Greater Sunrise a reality.”

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill welcomed the Agreement, stating it reflected the next step in the relationship and shared commitment to the development of the Greater Sunrise fields.

“This work is an extension of last year’s concept study and will address the remaining considerations required to reach concept selection, such as agreeing the most appropriate downstream commercial structure to attract financing and understanding the preferred route of the gas export pipeline.” END

Speech by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
JL World Hotel, Dili — 24 November 2025

Speech by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Grand Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dili – 25 November 2025

The President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, inaugurated the Local Governance Development Exhibition and National Fair on November 24^th, 2025, in Tasi Tolu, marking the start of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Unilateral Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The ceremony was attended by the President of the National Organizing Committee and Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral. 

The activities are part of the national program commemorating November 28^th, 1975, celebrated this year under the slogan ‘May the celebration of these 50 years of the past give us confidence in the present and hope for the future!” The Organizing Committee kicked off the commemorative calendar on November 3^rd with the opening of the futsal competition, with the exhibition scheduled to close on November 29^th in Tasi Tolu.

The program includes municipal pavilions where agricultural products are presented and demonstrations of local governance by the 12 municipalities, the Administrative Region of Oe-cusse and Ambeno, and the Administrative Authority of Ataúro. The national exhibition also includes content from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of State Administration, while other ministries promote decentralized activities in the municipalities, in accordance with the Prime Minister’s order.

The celebrations include futsal competitions, traditional dancing, municipal development exhibitions, gastronomy and handicrafts. Around 150 groups of local producers participate in the gastronomy and handicrafts area. The cultural component features dance groups and bands from Timor and the Timorese diaspora in Sydney.

As part of the religious and civic celebrations, Thanksgiving Mass will be held on November 27^th at Dili Cathedral, organized by the Dili Municipal Authority. This will be followed by a tribute to the Heroes of the Nation, with a symbolic laying of flowers at the Nain-Feto Monument in Lecidere and at the Garden of Heroes in Metinaro.

No dia 28 de novembro, terão lugar as cerimónias oficiais de içar e arriar da Bandeira Nacional no Palácio do Governo, às 8h00 e às 17h00, respetivamente.

On November 28^th, the official flag-raising and lowering ceremonies will take place at the Government Palace at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively.

On November 24^th, 2025, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão presided over the opening session of the 5th Timor-Leste Energy, Mining, and Business Forum, which runs from November 24^th to 26^th in Dili. The meeting, organized by the Government through the National Petroleum Authority (ANP Portuguese acronyms) and the National Minerals Authority (ANM Portuguese acronyms), in partnership with The Energy Circle and IN-VR, brings together policy makers, regulators, investors, and representatives of national and international companies to discuss development and investment opportunities in the energy and mineral resources sectors. 

In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Forum is the main annual platform for updating and sharing perspectives on the development of the energy and mining industries in Timor-Leste, as well as on the opportunities available to the private sector. Xanana Gusmão recalled that, over the last two decades, Timor-Leste has consolidated a peaceful and democratic state, with an open society and a growing economy, geared towards sustainable development and the defense of long-term national interests.

The Head of Government also highlighted Timor-Leste’s recent accession to the World Trade Organization and the completion of the process of full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), emphasizing that these milestones reinforce the country’s economic credibility and place Timor-Leste in a strategic position in the region. “Joining ASEAN puts Timor-Leste in a strategic position to become an important energy and mining hub in Southeast Asia,” he said.

Xanana Gusmão noted that the 2011–2030 Strategic Development Plan defines energy and minerals, alongside tourism and agriculture, as priority sectors for job creation, attracting investment, and economic diversification. In this context, he framed the Tasi Mane Project, which integrates the Suai Supply Base, the Natarbora industrial hub with liquefied natural gas and helium facilities, the refinery, the maritime terminal, the Betano power plant, and associated road and urban infrastructure, as a structuring axis for the industrialization of the south coast.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that the Greater Sunrise oil field is the central pillar of this energy and industrial development strategy. “The Government’s position on Greater Sunrise has always been clear. Natural gas from Greater Sunrise must be processed onshore in Timor-Leste,” he said, stressing that “this is essential for national development.” He recalled that independent assessments have confirmed the feasibility of an underwater pipeline to the south coast and that processing on national territory is crucial to ensure that the value generated remains in Timor-Leste, strengthens energy security, supports the construction of the industrial base, and creates thousands of jobs, particularly for young people.

The Head of Government stressed that the development of Greater Sunrise and the growth of the mining sector are central to consolidating a strong and sustainable economy capable of ensuring the well-being of the population. “The Timorese people have suffered greatly for their self-determination. Now we face the challenge of building an economy capable of guaranteeing the well-being of our population,” he said, calling for the active participation of investors and international partners in building new partnerships and boosting productive investment.

Xanana Gusmão drew attention to the growing interest in minerals, including gold, copper, magnesium, and other resources, whose development could support economic diversification, strengthen national technical skills, and create jobs, especially in rural areas. In this regard, he emphasized that Timor-Leste has clear rules and a solid legal framework to regulate mineral development and offer predictability and confidence to investors.

The President of the ANP, Gualdino do Carmo da Silva, highlighted that the Forum with international partners is the result of ongoing promotional work, which has generated positive responses and growing interest from the oil and minerals industry in Timor-Leste. He noted that investors recognize the existence of resources, a contractual and legal framework favorable to investment, and governance marked by transparency, consistency, and regulatory stability.

During the opening session, attended by the Prime Minister, The member of Parliament  Cedeliza Faria dos Santos, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Economic Affairs Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Francisco da Costa Monteiro, as well as the Presidents of the ANP and ANM, the public mining tender for the granting of licenses for the prospecting and exploration of metallic and non-metallic minerals for 2025 was officially launched.

The 5th Timor-Leste Energy, Mining, and Business Forum is attended by more than 400 delegates, including representatives from around 70 countries, and runs until November 26^th. Over three days, the program includes sessions dedicated to investment in the mining sector, the development of Greater Sunrise, other oil and gas projects, and energy transition, as well as opportunities for public decision-makers, regulators, investors, and business leaders to meet. The aim is to deepen dialogue, identify opportunities for cooperation, and support the economic transformation of Timor-Leste, in line with the 2011–2030 Strategic Development Plan and the Program of the 9th Constitutional Government.

 

Official ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

PROGRAMME

PART 1

Opening ceremony of the Local Governance Development Exhibition
Date: 24 November 2025
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: Tasi Tolu
(continues daily until 29 November)


PART 2

Thanksgiving Mass
Date: 27 November 2025
Time: 09 am
Venue: Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception


PART 3

Laying of Flowers for the Heroes of the Nation
Date: 27 November 2025
Time: After Mass
Place: Monument of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception – Lecidere


PART 4

A. National Flag Raising Ceremony
Date: 28 November 2025
Time: 09 am
Location: Government Palace

B. National Flag Lowering Ceremony
Date: 28 November 2025
Time: 5 pm
Location: Government Palace


PART 5

Opening of the Exhibition ‘The Face of the Proclamation and the Soul of the Resistance’

A. Eucharistic Celebration
● Date: 29 November 2025
● Time: 8 am
● Venue: Parish of Sta. Imaculada da Conceição de Balide

B. Opening of the Exhibition ‘The Face of the Proclamation and the Soul of the Resistance’
● Date: 29 November 2025
● Time: 10.15 a.m.
● Venue: Timorese Resistance Archive-Museum


PART 6

Closing Ceremony of the Exhibition on Local Governance Development
● Date: 29 November 2025
● Time: 6 p.m.
● Venue: Tasi Tolu

The “Vozes de Nós” Network, which brings together non-governmental organizations dedicated to protecting young people and children in Portuguese-speaking countries, met with Vice Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Social Affairs Mariano Assanami Sabino to present the results of the meeting held in Dili and invite him to be the Network’s Patron.

The meeting took place after the technical meeting held at the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion between November 18^th and 20^th  and provided an opportunity to present the work carried out by the participating organizations to the head of Social Affairs Coordination, who is also responsible for the Institute for the Defense of Children’s Rights (INDDICA).

The meeting, under the theme ‘Children’s Rights in CPLP Countries Today and Future Intervention Strategies,’ brought together representatives from various member states to discuss common priorities and strategies for protecting and promoting the rights of children and young people.

As a result of this work, the ‘Dili Declaration’ was drawn up, a guiding document intended to serve as a reference for concerted action by CPLP countries in the field of the rights of children and young people in vulnerable situations. The Declaration was presented to the Deputy Prime Minister, as Patron of the Network, as an expression of the joint commitment to strengthen the protection of children and young people in the CPLP.

 

 

Dili Declaration

 

The Dili Declaration is the result of the 5th Exchange of the “Vozes de Nós” Network, which brings together CPLP organizations dedicated to defending the rights of vulnerable children and young people. The document continues the work begun in 2009 under the project ‘Street Children: Inclusion and Integration,’ which has contributed to strengthening capacities in arts education, promoting cooperation between state and non-state entities, and supporting the development of child protection policies in CPLP countries.

The Declaration sets out a series of strategic objectives to guide common policies and practices, including comprehensive child development; prevention of all forms of violence and exploitation; promotion of inclusive education; strengthening of child health services; support for families; mainstreaming children in policies and budgets; effective participation of children and young people; consolidation and coordination of protection systems; improvement of data collection and sharing; and creation of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

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 November 22nd, 2025

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and decided to grant full powers to the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, to sign, on behalf of the Government, the Cooperation Agreement with Woodside Energy, Ltd. on the TLNG1 (Timor-Leste Liquefied Natural Gas from Timor-Leste) and the Greater Sunrise Field Pipeline and Development.   

This agreement is part of the Government’s strategic efforts to enhance the value of national natural resources, in accordance with the 2011-2030 Strategic Development Plan, and marks a significant step towards the joint technical, commercial, and regulatory assessment of a future LNG facility in Timor-Leste. Negotiations carried out by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources with Woodside Energy, the rights holder for the Greater Sunrise field, have established the necessary conditions to formalise this cooperation, which will facilitate further studies essential to the project’s development.

With this decision, the Government is advancing with the realisation of a vision that aims to strengthen national energy industrialisation, promote economic diversification, and ensure that the use of Greater Sunrise resources directly contributes to national development.

***

The Council of Ministers approved the draft Government Resolution, also presented by Minister Francisco da Costa Monteiro, which approves the Terms of Reference for the Mining Public Tender for the Granting of Prospecting and Research Licences for Metallic Minerals, Gems, Industrial Minerals, Radioactive Ores, and Rare Earth Ores.

The terms of reference now approved establish the necessary framework for conducting public tenders in the mineral resources sector, in accordance with the Mining Code, ensuring clear and transparent rules that align with international best practices. Following the opening of areas for mining activity, decided by the Government in March 2023, this decision aims to encourage new investment opportunities and foster the sector’s sustainable development.

The public tender is expected to be launched in the last week of November. The evaluation of bids will take place between June and July 2026, with the results announced in July and licences issued in August 2026.

***

The Council of Ministers decided to grant full powers to the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, to sign, on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the Administrative Agreement for the Application of the Multilateral Social Security Convention of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).

This Administrative Agreement, scheduled to be signed on December 3^rd, 2025, in Cape Verde, establishes the operational procedures necessary for the implementation of the CPLP Multilateral Social Security Convention.

The Convention aims to promote the extension of social protection coverage to ensure the portability of social rights for citizens who settle in different countries within the Community. It marks a significant milestone in building citizenship among the peoples of the Community, providing real and tangible benefits to its citizens.

***

The Council of Ministers approved the Government’s draft resolution, presented by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, to extend the term of office of the President and Directors of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cússe Ambeno (RAEOA) until December 31^st, 2025.

***

Lastly, after analysing the presentation by Vice Minister for Institutional Strengthening of Health, José dos Reis Magno, on the procedures for referring patients abroad for medical treatment and the amount of outstanding debts to international hospitals, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise expenditure of US$10 million to pay off debts owed to these hospitals. END