On September 29th, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili, the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, received the Executive Director of the Chega! National Centre and Chair of the Timor-Leste Memory of the World Committee, Hugo Fernandes, accompanied by the President of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) and Chair of the Indonesian National Memory of the World Committee, Mego Pinandito, for a presentation on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme and initiatives to preserve and promote Timor-Leste’s documentary heritage.

The meeting provided an opportunity to present to Minister Agio Pereira the work carried out and the initiatives planned under the Memory of the World Programme, as well as the cooperation among the Chega! National Centre, the Timor-Leste Memory of the World Committee, ANRI, and UNESCO to strengthen national capacities for the conservation, organisation, and digitisation of documentary heritage; support the identification of documentation with potential for recognition under the Programme; and continue preserving and promoting Timor-Leste’s historical memory.

Established by UNESCO in 1992, the Memory of the World Programme promotes the preservation of access to, and recognition of documentary heritage of historical and cultural significance at national, regional, and international levels.

Cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia in this area has included the exchange of experiences and knowledge on document preservation and the Memory of the World Programme’s mechanisms, as well as training initiatives in archival organisation, conservation, restoration, and digitisation, with the participation of the Chega! National Centre, the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia, and UNESCO.

This work supports the capacity-building efforts of the Chega! National Centre, which opened its new Archives Centre in June 2026 to preserve and provide access to documentation on Timor-Leste’s recent history and the work of the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation.

The Director-General of the National Archives of Timor-Leste, Fernando Moura; the National Director of the National Archives of Timor-Leste, Elizeu A. da C. Soares; representatives of the National Commission of Timor-Leste for UNESCO and the Chega! National Centre; and members of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia and the Embassy of Indonesia in Timor-Leste also attended the meeting.

 

The Civil Service Commission (CFP – acronym in Portuguese), in cooperation with the FALINTIL–Timor-Leste Defence Forces (F-FDTL – acronym in Portuguese), held the official opening ceremony for the second phase of Character-Building Training on September 28^th, 2026, in Letefoho, Ermera Municipality. The training, aimed at strengthening discipline, integrity, accountability, and ethics in public service, was for 176 employees from ministries and public institutions.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Justice, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai; the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes; the President of the Civil Service Commission, Agostinho Letêncio de Deus; Brigadier General José da Costa Soares “TRIX”; representatives of the F-FDTL and the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL – acronym in Portuguese); the Vice President of Committee A of the National Parliament, António Verdial de Sousa; and the President of the Ermera Municipal Authority, José Martinho dos Santos Soares, together with other representatives of public institutions and local authorities.

Under the theme “Developing employees with strong character and integrity for the dignity and image of State institutions”, the training continues the first phase of the programme, which also included 176 staff members from ministries and public institutions.

In his opening remarks, the President of the Civil Service Commission emphasised that state-building requires, in addition to technical knowledge and skills, public servants with character, discipline, and a sense of responsibility. Agostinho Letêncio de Deus stated that character enables the reconciliation of democratic principles of freedom with the demands of discipline, respect for hierarchy, and quality of service in Public Administration.

The President of the CFP also highlighted that the programme seeks to instil in public servants, particularly discipline, dedication, and service to the State, values associated with the history of the national liberation struggle and the example of heroes and martyrs. In this context, the Civil Service Commission established cooperation with the F-FDTL to integrate these principles into training.

The Minister of Justice highlighted institutional cooperation in implementing the programme and its contribution to the development of State institutions by preparing public servants in terms of behaviour, capabilities, and the exercise of their duties.

The training includes modules on personal development, self-respect and respect for others, honesty, responsibility, communication, ethics, integrity, patriotism, and nationalism. The programme also addresses rights and duties in Public Administration, emphasising loyalty, obedience, confidentiality, attendance, and punctuality, as well as disciplinary procedures, applicable sanctions, and the consequences of misconduct in public office.

The programme also covers time management, Timor-Leste’s history, professionalism, resilience, and physical exercise. The training combines classroom sessions with practical fieldwork.

This initiative is part of broader efforts to reform and develop Public Administration, with a focus on consolidating a service culture grounded in responsibility, discipline, integrity, and respect for the principles that guide public service.

The Central Bank of Timor-Leste (BCTL) and Bank Indonesia (BI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Jakarta on September 25th, 2026, to strengthen cooperation on payment systems and digital financial innovation, and to lay the groundwork for developing payment connectivity between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

The Governors of BCTL, Hélder Lopes, and Bank Indonesia, Destry Damayanti, signed the agreement within the framework of the Indonesia Digital Economy and Finance Festival and the Indonesia Fintech Summit and Expo 2026 (FEKDI x IFSE 2026), held in Jakarta from September 24^th to 26^th.

The Memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation in the areas of payment and settlement systems and digital financial innovation, including information sharing and the strengthening of institutional relations between the two central banks.

One of the agreement’s main objectives is to develop connectivity between Timor-Leste’s and Indonesia’s payment systems, including assessing a potential link to QRIS Cross-Border, Indonesia’s system for cross-border payments via QR codes.

Future interoperability is expected to enable users in both countries to make payments via their respective digital applications and compatible QR code systems, facilitating transactions related to trade, tourism, and mobility between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

The agreement with Bank Indonesia continues the modernisation and regional integration of Timor-Leste’s payment system. On September 12th, BCTL officially launched the Timor Unique QR (TUQR), the national QR code standard for digital payments, designed to ensure interoperability across banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, and digital wallets.

TUQR is supported by Ti-Fast, BCTL’s instant payment system, and serves as the national foundation for future links with payment systems in other countries.

Also on September 12th, BCTL and the National Bank of Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Dili focused on digital payments and cross-border connectivity. On that occasion, the Governor of BCTL announced that a similar agreement with Indonesia was planned for the same month.

These initiatives are part of Timor-Leste’s regional financial integration process. In July this year, Governor Hélder Lopes met at ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta with the organisation’s Secretary-General, Kao Kim Hourn, to discuss, among other matters, regional financial integration, payment system connectivity, and financial inclusion.

QRIS Cross-Border already enables the Indonesian payment system to connect with systems in several partner countries. Indonesia’s experience allows users to make payments abroad using their domestic applications and enables visitors from partner countries to use their respective payment systems at participating merchants in Indonesia.

Implementing connectivity between Timor-Leste and Indonesia will now depend on developing the technical, regulatory, and operational mechanisms required for interoperability of their payment systems.

 

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão received, on September 28th, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili, a delegation from the United Nations Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (UN-NAM), which is in Timor-Leste at the Government’s request to assess the needs for international assistance in preparing for the next electoral cycle.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral; the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Timor-Leste, Funmi Balogun; the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Timor-Leste, Katyna Argueta; and Zoran Trajkovski of the Electoral Assistance Division of the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, who is part of the Electoral Needs Assessment Mission.

The mission aims to identify the needs and modalities for electoral assistance to Timor-Leste, including technical and institutional support for the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE – acronym in Portuguese), the National Elections Commission (CNE – acronym in Portuguese), and civil society organisations.

Areas addressed include civic education, updating and biometric voter registration, preparations for voting by Timorese citizens abroad, and other procedures related to organising electoral processes. The Government and international partners will also continue discussions on the participation of international observers.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister argued that the presence of international observers should not be limited to Dili but should also extend to municipalities and local communities, to enable monitoring of the electoral process across different parts of the national territory.

The Minister of State Administration said that STAE will continue working with UNDP to prepare the necessary conditions for the upcoming elections and to define the modalities of cooperation with international partners.

Timor-Leste will hold presidential and local government elections in 2027, with parliamentary elections set for 2028.

The United Nations Electoral Needs Assessment Mission will continue consultations with national institutions to identify areas and mechanisms for international assistance in preparing for the upcoming elections.

 

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O Governo, através do Ministério do Planeamento e Investimento Estratégico, realiza, no dia 1 de outubro de 2026, no Auditório Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, no Ministério das Finanças, em Díli, a cerimónia de lançamento do Plano Nacional de Médio Prazo 2027–2030 e do Relatório de Monitorização do Plano Estratégico de Desenvolvimento 2011–2024, sob o tema «Reforçar o Planeamento Estratégico para um Desenvolvimento Sustentável e Inclusivo». A cerimónia contará com a participação do Primeiro-Ministro, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, de membros do Governo e de representantes dos parceiros de desenvolvimento.

PROGRAMA

Data: 1 de outubro de 2026

Local: Auditório Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Ministério das Finanças, Díli

08h30 – 09h00
Chegada e registo dos participantes

09h00 – 09h15
Oração de abertura

09h15 – 09h20
Hino Nacional da República Democrática de Timor-Leste

09h20 – 09h40
Dança cultural

09h40 – 09h50
Abertura e boas-vindas pelo Mestre de Cerimónias

09h50 – 10h00
Discurso de boas-vindas do Ministro do Planeamento e Investimento Estratégico, Gastão Francisco de Sousa

10h00 – 10h15
Apresentação do Plano Nacional de Médio Prazo 2027–2030 e do Relatório de Monitorização do Plano Estratégico de Desenvolvimento 2011–2024
Epi Orleães, Coordenadora da Unidade de Planeamento Integrado (UPI)

10h15 – 10h30
Intervenção da Embaixadora da Austrália em Timor-Leste, Caitlin Wilson

10h30 – 10h45
Intervenção do Embaixador da União Europeia em Timor-Leste, Thorsten Bargfrede

10h45 – 11h00
Discurso do Primeiro-Ministro, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão

11h00 – 11h10
Lançamento oficial do Plano Nacional de Médio Prazo 2027–2030 e do Relatório de Monitorização do Plano Estratégico de Desenvolvimento 2011–2024

A partir das 11h20
Almoço

On September 25th, 2026, in New York, the Minister of Health, Élia A. A. dos Reis Amaral, participated in the High-Level Meeting of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response. She presented Timor-Leste’s progress in developing national capacities to respond to public health emergencies and advocated for international cooperation grounded in the principles of equity and solidarity.

The meeting brought together representatives of Member States and international organisations to review commitments made since the first meeting on this subject in 2023, identify persistent gaps, and promote a more coordinated international response to future pandemics and other public health emergencies.

In her remarks, the Minister of Health emphasised that, as a small island developing state, Timor-Leste relies heavily on robust national institutions and effective mechanisms for the early detection of threats, enabling an adequate response to public health emergencies.

In this context, Élia Amaral highlighted the training of the first group of 40 Timorese health professionals in field epidemiology—completed in June 2025—as part of efforts to strengthen national capacity in this area. The Minister explained that the Government is now committed to translating the skills acquired into effective, reliable health services by developing laboratory capacity, community-based information and alert systems, and emergency response coordination, while ensuring the continuity of essential medical care during crises.

Timor-Leste has also reaffirmed its support for the International Health Regulations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, and the One Health approach, which recognises the interdependence of human, animal, plant, and environmental health. In this context, the Government has promoted greater coordination across national sectors through initiatives to improve surveillance, early detection, and joint responses to health threats.

Élia Amaral also advocated greater international cooperation through partnerships between laboratories and the exchange of health professionals, as well as equitable access to vaccines, diagnostic tools, and treatments, in line with public health needs.

The Minister’s participation took place just a few weeks after Dili hosted the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia—held from September 7^th to 10^th, 2026 and chaired by Élia Amaral—which brought together the region’s Member States to discuss shared health priorities and challenges.

Timor-Leste’s presence on the United Nations’ high-level agenda on September 25^th also included initiatives focused on climate finance, peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, and combating intolerance.

The Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate Affairs, Adão Barbosa Soares, attended the high-level event “Broadening the funding base: the urgent need to increase funding for loss and damage”, organised by the Government of the Philippines and the Secretariat of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

The initiative brought together government representatives and other stakeholders to review the Fund’s operationalisation and discuss ways to increase and accelerate the mobilisation of resources for developing countries particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The discussion also sought to strengthen political support for increased financing flows and to contribute to preparations for COP31 and upcoming international initiatives in this area.

Also on September 25th, the Director-General for Multilateral Affairs, Sebastiana Barros, represented Timor-Leste at the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), which was dedicated to promoting dialogue, trust, and peaceful coexistence in an international context marked by conflict, tensions, and rising intolerance.

In her intervention, Sebastiana Barros highlighted Timor-Leste’s experience in peacebuilding and reconciliation, emphasising the importance of the participation of women, local leaders, religious communities, and—in particular—of young people in building peaceful and inclusive societies.

The representative from Timor-Leste advocated for locally led initiatives that equip young people with the tools to challenge harmful stereotypes, use digital spaces responsibly, and participate directly in designing programmes that promote dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

Sebastiana Barros also called for intensified efforts to protect places of worship and combat religious intolerance, as well as for extending the Alliance of Civilizations’ initiatives to smaller states with more limited resources, emphasising that lasting peace requires dialogue, inclusion, and the gradual building of trust among different communities.

 

On September 24^th, 2026, in New York, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, signed, on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as part of the Treaties Event held during the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime establishes an international framework to strengthen the prevention and combating of certain crimes committed through information and communication technologies and to facilitate cooperation among States in criminal investigations and in the collection and sharing of electronic evidence related to serious crimes.

The signing of this treaty is part of a series of measures Timor-Leste has been implementing to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for preventing and combating cybercrime and to address the risks associated with the growing use of digital technologies.

In May this year, Timor-Leste hosted a delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), led by the Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Delphine Schantz. During a meeting with Agio Pereira, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the parties discussed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and the possibility of Timor-Leste signing it during the United Nations General Assembly, as well as UNODC’s provision of technical support for drafting national legislation in this area.

On the legislative front, the Government has been developing a national cybersecurity framework covering the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrime; the collection, preservation, and use of electronic evidence; the protection of critical infrastructure; the security of information systems and digital services; and national and international cooperation.

In July, the Council of Ministers approved the draft Law Proposal requesting legislative authorisation from the National Parliament to legislate on cybercrime and criminal procedure in the field of cybersecurity, and to establish the legal framework for the national cyberspace. The Government submitted the proposal to the National Parliament on July 31^st.

The Government has also strengthened institutional coordination mechanisms in this area. In August, the Interministerial Commission on Cybersecurity and the Digitisation of Government Services was established, bringing together the relevant institutions to define and coordinate policies on cybersecurity, cyberspace regulation, data protection, the prevention and prosecution of cybercrime, and the digitisation of public services.

Also in August, the Council of Ministers approved the 2026–2031 National Integrated Plan for the Prevention and Combating of Transnational Digital Financial Scam Networks, Supported by Illegal Online Scam Platforms (SCAM), Organised Cybercrime, and Human Trafficking. The Plan establishes a coordinated response across intelligence agencies, law enforcement and security services, criminal investigation agencies, financial authorities, and border control agencies.

These measures complement the work carried out by national authorities—namely the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police and the National Police of Timor-Leste—in investigating crimes committed through digital means and in combating online scam networks, as well as the specialised training programmes on cybercrime investigation, digital forensics, and the handling of digital evidence delivered in recent years in partnership with international partners.

International cooperation has also included initiatives with UNODC, Australia, and other partners to strengthen national capacities, protect critical infrastructure, respond to cyber incidents, and combat transnational crime linked to digital technologies.

At the same Treaty Event, Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas signed the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Protocol complements the Covenant—to which Timor-Leste has been a State Party since 2003—and establishes a mechanism enabling individuals to submit communications to the United Nations Human Rights Committee under the Protocol.

The signing of these two treaties reinforces Timor-Leste’s participation in multilateral legal mechanisms for cooperation in combating cybercrime and for the international protection of civil and political rights.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, formalised the establishment of diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and Kazakhstan and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Benin on Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports on September 24^th and 25^th, 2026 in New York, on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On September 24th, Bendito dos Santos Freitas met Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, and both leaders signed a Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

During the meeting, the two Ministers discussed prospects for advancing political dialogue and cooperation across trade and the economy, education, culture, tourism, and agriculture. The Kazakh Minister also congratulated Timor-Leste on its accession to ASEAN as the 11th Member State and expressed willingness to develop cooperation with Timor-Leste, both bilaterally and within ASEAN relations. They also discussed possibilities for cooperation at the United Nations and in other multilateral forums, particularly on sustainable development and climate change.

The signing of the Joint Communiqué formally establishes diplomatic relations between the two States and provides the framework for the development of political contacts and bilateral cooperation.

The following day, September 25^th, Bendito dos Santos Freitas and Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Corinne Amori Brunet, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports. The Memorandum aims to facilitate official travel and diplomatic contacts between Timor-Leste and Benin, as part of the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Both initiatives were part of the agenda for bilateral meetings held by the national delegation during the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which brought together Heads of State and Government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and representatives of United Nations Member States in New York.

Also on September 25^th, Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas hosted an informal lunch with the Foreign Ministers of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) during the organisation’s Pro Tempore Presidency, currently held by Timor-Leste.

The meeting provided an opportunity to continue political and diplomatic coordination among Member States on issues on the Community’s agenda, including operationalising the resolution on the political and institutional situation in Guinea-Bissau, adopted at the 31st Ordinary Meeting of the CPLP Council of Ministers in Dili on August 19^th, 2026.

On September 26^th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation accompanied the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, to a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. The meeting addressed Timor-Leste’s participation in the multilateral system, its national accession to ASEAN, and its contribution to regional and international cooperation.

These activities advanced Timor-Leste’s diplomatic agenda during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly through bilateral contacts and participation in regional, multilateral, and CPLP coordination mechanisms.

 

On September 24^th and 25^th, 2026, the petroleum and mineral resources sector recorded new developments in human resource training, in the preparation of infrastructure for the utilisation of natural gas resources, and in exploration activities in the national territory, with the signing of new contracts by TIMOR GAP and EP, and the awarding of three technical surveys by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.  Among these initiatives is the development of the Suai Centre of Excellence in Petroleum and Gas, Science and Technology, which aims to strengthen specialised training for Timorese workers and develop technical skills in the country, tailored to the needs of the energy sector and other industrial activities.

TIMOR GAP and Cegelec Oil & Gas – Timor Branch signed a technical support and training contract on September 24^th to develop this Centre, which will be located at the Suai Supply Base, with an implementation period of 30 months.

The infrastructure is expected to integrate specialised training spaces, with internationally recognised programmes and learning systems aligned with industry standards. The project also provides for the preparation of Timorese trainers and management staff, with a view to the progressive development of national skills to ensure the Centre’s operation.

TIMOR GAP will be responsible for the design, construction and commissioning of the infrastructure and associated equipment. Cegelec will provide technical support for preparing training programmes, defining workshop equipment, and building trainer capacity, in accordance with OPITO standards, an international organisation that sets training, qualification and safety benchmarks for energy sector workers.

These skills development efforts accompany the technical preparation of projects intended to utilise Timor-Leste’s natural gas resources and to build the necessary infrastructure to connect them to the south coast.

Within this scope, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources also awarded three contracts, on September 24^th, for offshore technical surveys related to the Greater Sunrise and Pipeline Highway projects.

The studies will be carried out in Timorese waters off the south coast, at depths ranging from 20 to 3,000 metres, and will enable the collection of data on seabed and subsea characteristics, as well as on meteo-oceanographic conditions. These data will support the definition of the routes and the future design of the gas pipeline between the Greater Sunrise area and Natarbora, and of the Pipeline Highway between the Bayu-Undan field and Natarbora.

At the same time, onshore petroleum exploration activities also progressed. TIMORGAP Onshore Block B, Unipessoal, Lda., a subsidiary of TIMOR GAP, and PETROTIM RESOURCES, S.A. signed the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) relating to the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) TL-OT-25-24 on September 25^th.

The agreement establishes the joint operating framework for the execution of activities provided for in the PSC, under which PETROTIM holds a 70% stake and serves as operator, with TIMOR GAP holding the remaining 30%.

The contract area is mainly in the municipalities of Bobonaro and Ainaro, and also includes areas in the municipalities of Ermera, particularly Atsabe, and in Covalima.

 

The initiatives developed over the past week cover various components of petroleum sector development, from training and qualification of human resources to preparing future natural gas transport infrastructure and advancing onshore petroleum exploration activities.