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Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão began a working visit to Indonesia on August 29th, 2026, which will include the fourth round of formal negotiations on the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, to be held on September 1st, 2026, in Jakarta.
Negotiations between the two countries began in August 2025 in Dili, with the establishment of the guiding principles for the process. The second round was held in December 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and the third took place in April this year in Singapore.
The delimitation of the maritime boundary with Indonesia forms part of the process of permanently defining Timor-Leste’s borders, following the conclusion, in 2018, of the Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia establishing their respective maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea.
The fourth round of negotiations will take place on September 1st, 2026, in Jakarta, with the participation of delegations from Timor-Leste and Indonesia. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and Executive Director of the Land and Maritime Borders Office, Elizabeth Exposto.
Before travelling to Jakarta, while in Bali, the Prime Minister visited the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) in Sanur on August 29th, 2026, where he learned about programmes developed in the areas of marine conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable management of marine resources.
During the visit, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão highlighted the shared responsibility of countries in the region to protect marine ecosystems. “The sea has no borders. The corals living in Timor-Leste’s waters are connected to the marine ecosystems of the entire region. Therefore, our responsibility is also shared,” stated the Prime Minister.
The Head of Government also advocated for coordination between marine conservation, the development of coastal communities, and the blue economy, through cooperation in the areas of science, research, training, the management of marine protected areas, and community participation.
Also on August 29th, 2026, the Prime Minister received, at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, the mortal remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, as part of the repatriation process from Portugal to Timor-Leste, organised by the Government in collaboration with the Catholic Church.
On the occasion, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão thanked the Indonesian customs authorities, particularly the team in Bali, for their cooperation in the repatriation process.
The following day, August 30th, 2026, the Prime Minister attended a Mass in honour of the three prelates, held at Rumah Duka Mumbul in Denpasar and presided over by the Bishop of Denpasar, Bishop Silvester Tung Kiem San, with the participation of the Timorese community residing in Bali.
The itinerary for the working visit continues in Jakarta, where the delegations of Timor-Leste and Indonesia are scheduled to hold, on September 1st, 2026, the fourth round of formal negotiations on the maritime boundary. The Prime Minister will also attend a lunch hosted by Indonesia’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno, and a conference organised by Hasanuddin University.
The Prime Minister and the national delegation are scheduled to return to Timor-Leste on September 7th, 2026.
Timor-Leste marked the 27th anniversary of the Popular Consultation of August 30th, 1999, with a commemorative programme held from August 28th to 30th, 2026, in the municipality of Manatuto, which brought together members of the Government, local authorities, representatives of State institutions, and local communities.
The celebrations commemorated the process that enabled the Timorese people to exercise their right to self-determination through the Popular Consultation organised by the United Nations on August 30th, 1999. On that day, 78.5% of voters rejected the proposal for special autonomy within Indonesia, paving the way for the restoration of Timor-Leste’s independence on May 20th, 2002.
The programme began on August 28th with a general clean-up effort in Manatuto.
On August 29th, a Thanksgiving Mass was held at the Parish Church of Santo António de Manatuto, presided over by Father Mário Cabral, with members of the Government, local authorities, and community representatives in attendance.
Following the religious service, a national reflection session on the country’s historical journey and future challenges was held in the “Ulfa Ikero” Hall.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, delivered a lecture titled “27 Years: Development Built from the Ashes”, in which he addressed the process leading up to the Popular Consultation, the period of the United Nations Transitional Administration, and the early years of independence, as well as the process of stabilisation, state-building, and national development. In his address, the Minister highlighted August 30th, 1999, as an “example of courage of an entire nation”.
The session also featured remarks by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, on the constitutional mandate and the process of developing local government in the municipalities, and by the Executive Director of the Chega! National Centre, Hugo Fernandes, on the contribution of history and memory to shaping the nation’s future.
The celebrations continued on August 30th with a march from Manatuto Bridge to the site of the celebrations, followed by a community gathering and entertainment activities.
The Governments of Timor-Leste and Australia, along with the Property Council of Australia NT, have announced a partnership to deliver a four-day business program in Dili from 27 to 30 October, connecting Australian and Timorese business and government.
The combined program will be known as the Darwin to Dili Business & Investment Summit and Invest Timor-Leste 2026.
Invest Timor-Leste 2026 is supported by the Australian Government, in partnership with Timor-Leste’s Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, TradeInvest Timor-Leste, and the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Property Council spearheads the Business & Investment Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, with market briefings, senior industry speakers and site visits to businesses operating in Dili. Invest Timor-Leste opens with the Gala Dinner on Wednesday evening and the Invest Timor-Leste Business Forum on Thursday.
The Invest Timor-Leste Business Forum will bring Australian delegates together with Timorese companies through structured business to business matchmaking, and with Timorese government counterparts to discuss future opportunities and the enabling environment.
The program opens almost a year to the day after Timor-Leste joined ASEAN on 26 October 2025. Timor-Leste will chair ASEAN in 2029.
Property Council NT Executive Director Ruth Palmer said the program was built for outcomes.
“This is not a talkfest. This is about bringing the right people into the room to create real connections, real partnerships and real commercial outcomes,” Ms Palmer said.
“Northern Australia and Timor-Leste share geography, history and opportunity. This conference is about turning that proximity into practical partnerships.”
Timor-Leste’s Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, H.E. Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, said the program reflected Timor-Leste’s investment priorities.
“Timor-Leste is open for business. Our accession to ASEAN has widened our market and strengthened confidence in our economy, and in 2029 we will chair ASEAN. Australia is our trusted, close neighbour and a natural partner in tourism, agriculture and energy. We welcome this delegation to Dili, and we welcome serious partners.”
Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste Caitlin Wilson said the partnership reflected a maturing commercial relationship.
“Australia and Timor-Leste are close neighbours and close partners, and the commercial side of that relationship is growing. The Australian Government is pleased to support Invest Timor-Leste 2026. Bringing businesses together, with support from both governments, is one way that lasting commercial relationships are built.”
Timorese businesses taking part in the Invest Timor-Leste Business Forum and matchmaking are being engaged with the support of the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry and TradeInvest Timor-Leste, and will be supported through a readiness program ahead of October.
Australian businesses interested in attending, partnering or sponsoring are encouraged to contact the Property Council of Australia NT.
Darwin to Dili Business & Investment Summit and Invest Timor-Leste Business Forum 2026
DATES
27 to 30 October 2026
LOCATION
Dili, Timor-Leste
REGISTRATIONS
Australian businesses can register for the Darwin to Dili Business & Investment Summit via the Property Council of Australia website.
The Invest Timor-Leste Business Forum is invite-only, however interest can be registered via email to InvestTL@prosivu.tl.
The Minister for Transport and Communications and Chairman of the General Council of Cabos de Timor-Leste, EP (CTL, EP), Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, is participating, accompanied by a national delegation, in the 11th edition of the Bali Annual Telkom International Conference (BATIC 2026), taking place from August 24th to 28th, 2026, at the Bali International Convention Centre in Indonesia.
Organised by Telin, an international subsidiary of Telkom Indonesia, the conference is being held under the theme “Uniting the Ecosystem to Drive Interconnected Progress” and brings together representatives from governments, telecommunications operators, technology companies, and other stakeholders in the digital sector from various countries.
The participation of the Timorese delegation makes it possible to keep abreast of international developments in the areas of connectivity, submarine fibre-optic cables, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data management, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, as well as to foster contacts with international operators and partners in the telecommunications sector.
As part of the conference, the delegation also participated in the ignitePRO Forum, dedicated to cooperation between governments and the private sector in the development of telecommunications and the digital economy.
Minister Miguel Manetelu highlighted the opportunity to learn from the experiences of other countries and companies that could contribute to the development of CTL, EP, namely in managing the national fibre-optic infrastructure. He also noted the need to establish regulatory conditions conducive to the development of telecommunications and to promote the responsible use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, for the benefit of society and national development.
BATIC 2026 also addresses the growing demand for bandwidth and connectivity associated with the development of artificial intelligence, focusing on investment in submarine cables and data centres, the security of digital infrastructure, and cooperation among telecommunications operators, cloud service providers, technology companies, and regulatory bodies.
The Executive Director of Telkomcel Timor-Leste, Benedictus Ardiyanto Priyo, emphasised that participating in BATIC provides an opportunity for Timor-Leste and CTL, EP to establish contacts with global operators and technology companies, highlighting the role of connectivity in promoting the digital economy and improving telecommunications services in the country.
The delegation also includes the General Coordinator of CTL, EP, Pedro Lay; the Director General of Communications, Ambrósio Amaral; and the Director of the National Directorate for Communications Infrastructure, Pedro Amaral.
Speech by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Dili Convention Centre
28 August 2026