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The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, participated on September 14th, 2026, in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, in the high-level segment of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, where he reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s commitment to humanitarian disarmament, the protection of civilians, and international humanitarian law.
The conference runs from September 14th to 18th, under the theme “Accelerating Progress Towards a World Free from the Threat of Cluster Munitions”, bringing together representatives of States Parties, observer countries, international organisations, and other entities involved in efforts to prevent and address the humanitarian consequences of these weapons.
Discussions focus on evaluating the Convention’s implementation and on measures to accelerate the clearance of explosive ordnance, strengthen risk education, and assist victims and affected communities.
In his address, Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas expressed Timor-Leste’s solidarity with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and with communities affected by cluster munitions and other unexploded ordnance.
The Minister also reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s determination to contribute to international efforts to promote peace, human dignity, and the protection of future generations, and called for strengthened regional and international cooperation in humanitarian disarmament.
The conference is expected to review and adopt the Vientiane Action Plan 2027–2031, which will guide the implementation of the Convention over the next five years and include measures on ordnance clearance and destruction, risk education, victim assistance, and international cooperation.
On the sidelines of the conference, Bendito dos Santos Freitas also met Vietnam’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Thi Hoang Van. Both parties reviewed the development of bilateral relations following Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão’s official visit to Vietnam in June this year.
During the meeting, discussions covered follow-up to the four documents signed during that visit, negotiations on the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, the status of the Bilateral Trade Agreement, and the convening of the first meeting of the Vietnam–Timor-Leste Joint Commission. Both sides also discussed preparations for the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027.
On the occasion of the conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation also attended the official dinner hosted by the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, for the participating delegations.
The Third Review Conference continues in Vientiane through September 18th, evaluating progress achieved and setting priorities for the next phase of the Convention’s implementation.
The Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, inspected on September 13th, 2026, the reconstruction works on 46 traditional houses in Loro hamlet, Suai Loro village, Covalima Municipality, where more than 20 homes have already been rebuilt under the “Habitação Digna” (Decent Housing) programme.
Launched in January this year by the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing, the initiative aims to improve living conditions for families while preserving the traditional characteristics of the dwellings and the community’s cultural identity.
During the visit, the Vice-Prime Minister, accompanied by the Director-General of Rural Development, Filipe Cardoso Vieira, monitored the progress of the works and the programme’s implementation alongside the local community.
The traditional houses of Suai Loro, known in Tetum Terik as “Laleo Masin”, are built using local materials and using traditional techniques. The project targets homes that have deteriorated over time and lack adequate living conditions.
According to the technical team from the Directorate-General for Housing, more than 20 of the 46 planned houses have already been rebuilt. Works are set to continue throughout 2026 until the remaining homes are completed.
Each house measures approximately seven by six metres, and the reconstruction preserves the traditional design, using locally sourced materials.
During the visit, community members expressed their gratitude to the Government for the initiative, highlighting its role in preserving traditional architecture.
Agusto da Costa, a resident of this village, noted that “this programme is very important for the entire community of Loro hamlet, as the majority of the population lives in traditional houses. Some of these homes were no longer in good condition, and through this intervention by the Ministry, they are now being restored.”
Agusto da Costa also emphasised the cultural dimension of the initiative: “As the new generation of Loro hamlet, we believe this programme helps preserve our heritage and keep our true identity alive for future generations.”
The reconstruction of the 46 houses is part of the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing’s “Habitação Digna” programme and is expected to be completed within the current year.
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The Minister of Trade and Industry, Filipus Nino Pereira, attended the 11th edition of the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong on September 9th and 10th, 2026, where he presented Timor-Leste’s priorities for economic diversification, regional integration, and attracting investment at an event that brought together government and business representatives from over 70 countries and regions.
Jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the event was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre under the theme “Advancing High-Quality Development · Embarking on a New Journey”. This year’s event brought together more than 6,200 participants and featured discussions on trade, investment, and economic cooperation, with a particular focus on ASEAN, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
On the first day of the summit, Minister Filipus Nino Pereira participated as a speaker in the policy dialogue “Building Resilient Trade and Investment Frameworks in a Diverse Global Landscape”, which addressed the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and international economic uncertainty.
The session was chaired by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong, Algernon Yau, and attended by government representatives from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and Thailand.
In his intervention, the Minister highlighted the challenges that current transformations in international trade and investment pose to small and developing economies, including geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, climate change, and digital transformation.
In this context, Filipus Nino Pereira presented Timor-Leste’s priorities as building a more diversified, competitive, and resilient economy, as well as strengthening the capacity of national institutions, companies, and human resources to enable greater participation in regional and international markets.
The Minister also highlighted Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN as an opportunity to strengthen the national private sector’s participation in the regional market, stating that “for us, ASEAN does not just mean access to a large market, but also preparing our people, institutions, and companies to participate actively.”
The presentation also addressed the need to create better conditions for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises by improving access to financing, technology, market information, quality standards, digital tools, and regional business networks, and to increase the value added of domestic production in the agriculture, fisheries, and natural resources sectors.
Regarding foreign investment, the Minister argued that “quality investment should create employment opportunities, transfer technology and skills, strengthen local companies, and contribute to the development of the system.”
Filipus Nino Pereira also noted Timor-Leste’s preparations to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029 and highlighted investment opportunities in the country across infrastructure, technology, hospitality and tourism, and food processing. The Minister also invited representatives from Hong Kong’s private sector to participate in the ASEAN Trade Forum, scheduled for November 2026 in Dili.
The 11th Belt and Road Summit featured more than 300 investment projects, facilitated over 800 one-to-one business matchmaking meetings, and resulted in more than 60 memoranda of understanding. According to the HKTDC, the projects presented had a total value exceeding US$5.4 billion.
Participation in the meeting enabled Timor-Leste to present its trade and investment priorities at an international forum dedicated to economic cooperation and to developing connections among governments, investors, and companies from different regions.
On September 8th, 2026, at the Indonesian Cultural Centre in Dili, Mariano Assanami Sabino, the Vice-Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, and interim Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, attended the 2026 Indonesian Higher Education Fair, an initiative designed to inform Timorese students about academic opportunities and scholarships in Indonesia.
Held under the theme “Opening Opportunities for the Future and Strengthening Friendship Between Indonesia and Timor-Leste”, the event brought together more than 25 Indonesian universities, which presented their course offerings, admission requirements, and study support opportunities across a range of disciplines.
The Indonesian Cultural Centre organised the event in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Timor-Leste and Indonesian education sector entities, and it ran until September 10th.
The Vice-Prime Minister highlighted the fair’s role in facilitating access to information for students—particularly secondary school finalists—about universities and scholarships available in Indonesia. Mariano Assanami Sabino also noted the role of such initiatives in strengthening cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia in the education sector.
The Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture, Nelyo Isaac Sarmento, accompanied the Vice-Prime Minister at the event.
Throughout the fair, participating institutions provided information on educational programmes in fields such as health, technology, business, and management, along with admission procedures and scholarship opportunities. The programme also featured presentations, registration, testing, and meetings to foster contacts and partnerships between institutions.
According to information presented at the event by the Education Attaché of the Embassy of Indonesia, between 10,000 and 12,000 Timorese students are currently registered in Indonesia, though the actual number may be higher, as some students have not yet completed their registration.
In this context, Indonesian authorities urged Timorese students studying in Indonesia to register with the relevant consular offices to facilitate ongoing monitoring and assistance.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, met on September 14th, 2026, with the Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Caitlin Wilson, to discuss bilateral cooperation and shared interests between the two countries.
The meeting focused in particular on cooperation in the areas of cybersecurity and capacity building, as well as on Timor-Leste’s preparation for its future responsibilities within ASEAN.
Both sides exchanged views on ways to deepen cooperation through the sharing of information and knowledge, institutional capacity-building, and technical assistance.
Issues relating to security, digital capacity-building, and institutional and infrastructure readiness were also addressed within the framework of Timor-Leste’s national priorities.
At the end of the meeting, both sides expressed their willingness to maintain dialogue and coordination on the issues discussed and to advance bilateral cooperation initiatives.
The Central Bank of Timor-Leste (BCTL) and the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) held their second bilateral meeting on September 12th, 2026, in Dili, signing a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on digital payments and to advance cross-border payment connectivity between the two countries.
BCTL Governor Hélder Lopes and NBC Governor Chea Serey co-chaired the meeting, building on the institutional cooperation established under the first Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in July 2024.
The 2024 agreement established a framework for cooperation across areas including central bank operations, payment networks and systems, digital financial innovation, banking supervision, financial sector development, and human resources capacity building. The two institutions also agreed to hold annual bilateral meetings, alternating between the two countries, to assess progress and identify new areas of cooperation.
During the meeting in Dili, the delegations reviewed the implementation of commitments made since 2024, exchanged information and experiences, and discussed priorities for the next phase of cooperation.
On the same day, the BCTL and the NBC signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on digital payments and cross-border connectivity. The agreement lays the groundwork for developing mechanisms that will, in future, enable payments and transfers between Timor-Leste and Cambodia via digital systems, including the use of QR codes.
NBC Governor Chea Serey said, “Cambodia is proud to be the first country to sign an agreement of this nature with Timor-Leste,” adding that the agreement reached “reflects the trust between our two countries and our shared conviction that no economy can prosper in isolation.”
According to Chea Serey, this cooperation should make it easier for citizens and businesses in both countries to make payments and transfers in future. “I believe this Memorandum of Understanding will one day allow Timor-Leste and Cambodia to make payments, transfers, and transactions as easily as we do in our own country,” she said.
The Governor also noted that future integration of the systems could facilitate commercial transactions and remittances. “Our companies will be able to trade with fewer barriers. Our remittance corridors will become faster, cheaper, and safer for the families who depend on them,” she added.
BCTL Governor Hélder Lopes explained that the agreement with Cambodia is part of the process of strengthening the link between Timor-Leste’s payment systems and those of countries in the region, and announced that a similar agreement with Indonesia is scheduled to be signed later this month.
“Today we began by signing the agreement with Cambodia, and later this month we will also sign an agreement with Indonesia,” stated Hélder Lopes.
The signing of the new Memorandum took place on the same day as the launch of Timor Unique QR (TUQR), the national standard for digital payments via QR code, and marks a first step towards the future use of this system in cross-border transactions with countries with which Timor-Leste establishes interoperability mechanisms.
The delegation from the National Bank of Cambodia comprised Governor Chea Serey, Deputy Governor Yiem Leat, and other representatives of the institution. Representing the Central Bank of Timor-Leste were Governor Hélder Lopes, Vice-Governors Rafael Borges and Sara Lobo Brites, and BCTL Executive Directors.
Cooperation between the two central banks will continue within the framework of the signed memoranda of understanding and the annual bilateral meetings agreed by both institutions.