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On November 4^th, 2025, the 9th Constitutional Government, through the Ministry of State Administration (MAE), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held the groundbreaking ceremony for Timor-Leste’s first Administrative Modernisation Centre (CMA) at the MAE facilities in Caicoli, Dili.

The event was chaired by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, and attended by the UNDP Resident Representative, Katyna Argueta; the Minister of Justice, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai; the Minister of Transport and Communications, Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu; Vice Minister of State Administration Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus; and Secretary of State for Local Development Mateus W. dos Santos Tallo. The ceremony included the blessing of the site by Father Mariano Quintão. 

The Administrative Modernisation Centre marks a significant step in Timor-Leste’s civil service reform, aiming to serve as a technical and institutional catalyst for administrative change, fostering simplification and innovation, and enhancing local governance. The centre will also be a dedicated space for training and knowledge exchange, supporting the Ministry of State Administration and the Ministry of Justice in their efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of decentralising administration.

In the context of administrative simplification and modernisation, the role of the One-Stop Shop, which is being implemented throughout the country as a point of contact between the Government and citizens, is also significant. The integration of the One-Stop Shop into the CMA will promote innovation, standardise procedures, and enhance local capacities, ensuring that public services are increasingly simple, accessible, and tailored to the needs of the population.

The new centre will also play a key role in fostering interoperability between the One-Stop Shop, the Municipal Portal, and other government digital platforms, enhancing the digitisation of services, information sharing, and transparency in administration. This cohesive approach will help create a more modern, efficient, and citizen-oriented public administration.

With Timor-Leste’s recent accession to ASEAN, the Centre for Administrative Modernisation also assumes a key role in aligning administrative practices with ASEAN regional standards through training, innovation, and digitisation, fostering a more competitive public sector that aligns with regional best practices.

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Administrative Modernisation Centre, Minister of State Administration Tomás do Rosário Cabral officially handed over an Ambulift vehicle to Minister of Transport and Communications Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu.

An ambulift is a specialised vehicle equipped with a lifting platform that helps passengers with reduced mobility to board and disembark from aircraft. The vehicle, acquired during His Holiness Pope Francis’s visit to Timor-Leste, was transferred to the Ministry of Transport and Communications at their request, with the Prime Minister’s authorisation, to assist the services of ANATL, E.P., particularly in transporting people with limited mobility or severe health conditions.

The ceremony brought together members of the 9th Constitutional Government, chiefs of staff, ambassadors, representatives of international agencies, presidents of the 12 Municipal Authorities and the Administrative Authority of Ataúro, directors-general, and national directors of the Ministries of Justice and Transport and Communications, along with technicians and officials from the MAE.

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

National Parliament, Dili

5 November 2025

Today, November 5^th, 2025, the Ninth Constitutional Government presented the 2026 Draft General State Budget (GSB) to the National Parliament, under the theme “Investing in National Transformation, Regional Integration and Inclusive Development”. The document, which provides for a total consolidated budget of US$2.291 billion, reflects the Government’s vision of promoting sustainable economic growth, strengthening strategic infrastructure, and ensuring better living conditions for all citizens. 

In his speech, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão stated that “This is, without doubt, one of the defining moments in the life of a State”, emphasising that the debate on the 2026 GSB “is, above all, a democratic exercise of debate of the political and strategic choices for the nation.”

“We are here to give meaning to these numbers, to give faces to these investments — investments that aim to improve the lives of our people, to empower them, and to promote their development in a healthy, educated and entrepreneurial society”, he added.

The Head of Government emphasised that the 2026 General State Budget “is more than a financial plan” – “It is our pact with the Timorese people, and our commitment to the region we are joining — as equals!”. He also stressed that, after “correcting the weaknesses found in our institutions, systems and public-sector processes” and “defining policies and strategies and implementing reforms and audits” in 2024 and 2025, next year “will be the year to transform the economy”, boosting employment, productive investment, and social inclusion.

Xanana Gusmão emphasised that the budget is based on ‘four key objectives’ – job creation, fiscal stability, and prudent resource management, building capable institutions and ensuring dignity for all people. He noted that non-oil GDP growth, after growing by 4.3% in 2024, is expected to reach 4.5% in 2025 and 2026, “the highest economic growth in Timor-Leste in the last decade”, reflecting increased public investment and economic confidence.

In the economic sphere, the Prime Minister emphasised that this budget aims to boost productive transformation and create jobs for Timorese. “It is a national imperative to give our youth hope within their own nation, so that they do not need to seek their future abroad”, he said.

“We are not merely building roads; we are building pathways to employment. We are not only supporting agriculture; we are supporting the farmer’s son who wants to add value to his father’s harvest and sell it across Southeast Asia,” he emphasised.

On regional integration and Timor-Leste’s international role, Xanana Gusmão recalled that “Joining the WTO and ASEAN opens doors to new markets and opportunities”, and stressed that the country “stands as an example of peace, reconciliation and tolerance — both religious and political — and can contribute to building a better world”.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that “the Ninth Constitutional Government has placed the ocean at the centre of its action”, announcing the implementation of the Blue Economy Policy 2025–2035, “to be approved by the end of this year”, which seeks to harness the economic potential of marine resources for national sustainable development, while simultaneously ensuring the protection and conservation of the sea and its ecosystems”.

The Head of Government recalled that the budget “is guided by one underlying principle in the planning of every dollar: – Will this help a Timorese family live better tomorrow than it does today?”, stressing that “Growth means nothing if it does not reach the grandmother in the mountains who still walks hours to access basic health care”. “Social cohesion is not merely a promise — it is the foundation of everything we are trying to build”, he said.

In closing, the Prime Minister called for national unity and cooperation among the organs of sovereignty, addressing a message to young people and public servants: “To our young people: take advantage of every training and employment opportunity available. By investing in yourselves, you are investing in your country. To our dedicated public servants: You are the bridge between the Government’s promises and citizens’ realities.”

He concluded on a confident note: “Let us move forward together — with discipline in our finances, ambition in our reforms, and unity in our national purpose — for together we are stronger than any challenge we face”.

The discussion in general terms of the 2026 GSB proposal will take place between November 5^th and 7^th, followed by a detailed analysis starting on the 13^th, for a maximum period of ten days, culminating in the final overall vote and submission for promulgation by the President of the Republic.

To read Prime Minister’s speech on the Presentation of the 2026 Draft General State Budget Law, click here!

To access the 2026 Draft General State Budget Law and other related documents, click here!

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On October 30^th and 31^st, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão inaugurated and launched a series of infrastructure projects in Lautém municipality, including the rehabilitation of key road sections, the reinforcement of the drinking water supply, and the commissioning of a desalination plant on Jaco Island. 

At the launch of these projects, the Head of the Government emphasised that the basic infrastructure outlined in the 2011–2030 National Strategic Development Plan constitutes “the foundation of national development,” highlighting that roads in good condition “pave the way for tourism growth, boost the local economy, and sustainably enhance the country’s resources.” The Prime Minister also urged community collaboration with teams on the ground to ensure high-quality execution within the contracted deadlines.

On October 30^th, the rehabilitation project for the section between the Lautém roundabout and Com was launched, covering 19.76 kilometres, with a completion deadline of 365 days and a budget of US$11.2 million. The following day, October 31^st, the Government launched the rehabilitation of the connection between Lautém and Lospalos, also with a deadline of 365 days, a length of 27.98 kilometres, and a budget of US$18.8 million.

At both ceremonies, the Minister of Public Works, Samuel Marçal, expressed his appreciation for the commitment of the technical teams and emphasised that “the resources belong to the people and must be managed rigorously,” calling on the support of local authorities and the population to facilitate the progress of the work and prevent constraints.

Additionally, on October 31^st, a project was launched to improve and expand the water supply system at the Lospalos administrative post, with a deadline of 1,095 days and a budget of US$17 million. This investment will increase the availability of drinking water for around 4,000 beneficiaries, strengthening an essential service for families and economic activities in the municipality.

On the same day, the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry, Marcos da Cruz, inaugurated a desalination plant that converts seawater into fresh water on Jaco Island, installed with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry and the Secretariat of State for Forestry. The system, developed by Timorese Luciano dos Santos Pereira, primarily aims to ensure water availability for local wildlife—namely, the approximately 400 deer that inhabit the island, along with other wild species—and to support the environmental management of Nino Konis Santana National Park. The Government has assigned four forest security agents to ensure the protection of the flora and fauna of Jaco Island and Nino Konis Santana National Park, urging the population and visitors to preserve these protected areas and the coastline.

The President of the Municipal Authority of Lautém, Mélio de Jesus, thanked the Prime Minister and the Executive for launching these structural projects and expressed the community’s willingness to actively collaborate to ensure their successful implementation.

Members of the Government, representatives of national and local entities, veterans, community and religious leaders, young people, students, and the general public attended the ceremonies.

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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 November 4th 2025

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Resolution Proposal of the National Parliament, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, for the ratification of the Declaration of Admission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The purpose of this Resolution proposal is to ratify the Declaration on the Admission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, signed in Malaysia on October 26^th, 2025, during the ceremony marking Timor-Leste’s full accession to the regional organisation.

The Declaration represents the political acceptance by ASEAN Member States of Timor-Leste’s inclusion as a full Member State, in accordance with Article 6(4) of the ASEAN Charter, constituting an essential step towards Timor-Leste’s full integration into the organisation’s mechanisms and structures.

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In accordance with the draft presented by the Minister of Defence, Donaciano do Rosário Gomes, the Council of Ministers decided to ratify the Agreement on Cooperation in Defence between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

Among the main objectives of the Agreement is the strengthening of bilateral relations in military matters, namely through regular political and strategic dialogue, the sharing of information and experiences, the exchange of personnel, and technical and military training, joint exercises, and cooperation in science, technology, and the defence industry.

The document also acknowledges Malaysia’s role as a trusted defence partner of Timor-Leste since its independence was restored, reaffirming the commitment of both governments to promote peace, security, and regional stability within the framework of ASEAN, of which Timor-Leste is now a full member.

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The Council of Ministers decided to authorise expenditure for the “Development of the Greater Sunrise gas field and to ensure that the gas pipeline comes to Timor-Leste,” according to the project presented by the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro.

With this decision, the Council of Ministers authorises expenditure totalling US$16,055,897, to be executed between 2025 and 2027, for the implementation of Program A13 of the General State Budget, which covers the development of the Greater Sunrise gas field and the completion of the studies and initiatives necessary to ensure the construction of the gas pipeline to Timor-Leste.

The authorised amount covers ultra-high-resolution geophysical and seismic surveys (UHRS) related to the Greater Sunrise gas export pipeline and the Bayu Undan pipeline, which are essential for the technical and planning phase of the project.

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The Council of Ministers granted the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, full powers to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Singapore for educational cooperation, particularly in teacher training. END

 

9.30 am, Government Palace

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY AND INCLUSION

NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY INSTITUTE

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Press Release

 

Dili, October 30^th, 2025

INSS launches new Portal for Employers — Remuneration statements will be submitted exclusively online from January 1^st, 2026 

The National Social Security Institute (INSS) has launched a new publicly accessible portal that facilitates relations between employers and Social Security and modernises the services provided.

The Portal allows employers to easily and securely register and submit remuneration statements online, register new employees, report the termination of employee contracts, issue payment slips directly, and submit the respective proof of payment.

The INSS informs that as of January 1^st, 2026, only Remuneration Declarations submitted through the new Portal will be accepted.

In this regard, the INSS requests that all employers—including companies, associations, public entities, and services—contact the INSS for accreditation on the new Portal by November 30^th, 2025. Accreditation is a necessary condition for using the features available and for submitting declarations within the legal deadlines.

It is also noted that the INSS, to support this process, holds information and training sessions on the new Portal every Monday starting at 9 a.m.

For further information and clarification of any questions, please contact the INSS, through the customer service department or via:

Email: segurança.socialtl@gmail.comor info@segurancasocial.gov.tl

Phone: +670 7839 7378

The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, met today, October 30^th, 2025, at the Government Palace, with the new Ambassador of Portugal to Timor-Leste, Duarte Bué Alves, accompanied by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Portuguese Embassy, Rui Guilherme Araújo. This was the first official meeting between the minister and the Portuguese diplomat since the presentation of credentials to the President of the Republic in September. 

During the meeting, Ambassador Duarte Bué Alves reaffirmed Portugal’s strong commitment to ongoing support for Timor-Leste, highlighting education and human resources training as key pillars of bilateral cooperation. He emphasised that the Strategic Cooperation Programme (PEC) 2024–2028, with a total value of €75 million (approximately US$87 million), is the primary instrument of partnership between the two countries.

Minister Agio Pereira reiterated that human resources training and capacity building are among the main priorities of the 9th Constitutional Government, emphasising that strengthening national competencies is vital for the country’s sustainable development.

The diplomat also noted that 81% of the first year’s PEC budget has already been allocated to the education and training sector, and argued about the importance of cooperation based on proximity and joint efforts, emphasising that Portugal should continue to work “with Timor-Leste” and not just “in Timor-Leste.”

The Minister expressed his gratitude for Portugal’s support over the years and stated his full willingness to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation.