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 July 22nd, 2026

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and began with a presentation by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, to the Council of Ministers on the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Local Government Reform in Georgia, the official visit to Portugal, and the ceremonies for the transfer of the remains of our beloved prelates, whose sacrifice, dedication, and testimony of hope form the foundation upon which the Church in Timor stands today.

The Minister of State Administration presented the Council of Ministers with a report on his participation in the United Nations Conference on Local Government Reform, at which participating states shared experiences and best practices and promoted strengthened international cooperation in administrative modernisation, public sector innovation, and local governance.

The Minister of State Administration also briefed the Council of Ministers on the outcomes of his official visit to the Portuguese Republic, during which agreements were reached to strengthen bilateral cooperation in administrative simplification and modernisation, electoral administration, and the preservation of the military archival heritage shared by the two countries.

The Minister of State Administration also delivered a presentation on the ceremonies marking the transfer of the remains of the late prelates—Dom Jaime Garcia Goulart, Dom José Joaquim Ribeiro, Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, and Dom Alberto Ricardo da Silva—pastors who, with courage and love, stood by our people during the most difficult moments in our history. By bringing their remains to Timor, the Government reaffirms its commitment to continuing their legacy of reconciliation and nation-building.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft government resolution, also presented by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, which names the Manatuto Bridge “Monsenhor Martinho da Costa Lopes”.

The naming of the Manatuto Bridge after Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes is a fitting tribute to one of the most notable figures of the Timorese resistance and of Christian witness in the cause of justice, peace, and self-determination, perpetuating his legacy for present and future generations and taking on paramount importance at a time when ceremonies are being held to reinter the remains of the late prelates.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by Vice-Minister of Finance Regina de Jesus, which sets out the legal framework for the organisation, powers, and operations of the Accounting Council of Timor-Leste.

The decree regulates the operations of this independent technical body, established within the Ministry of Finance, which is tasked with developing accounting standards, issuing opinions and recommendations, and promoting the adoption of uniform accounting procedures harmonised with International Accounting Standards, in order to improve the quality of financial information provided by entities covered by the national accounting system.

It should be noted that the Accounting Council of Timor-Leste had already been established by Decree-Law No. 45/2025 of December 15^th, as an independent technical body with technical and administrative autonomy, operating within the ministry responsible for public finance.

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Also at the proposal of the Vice-Minister of Finance, the draft Decree-Law for the First Amendment to Decree-Law No. 2/2023, of February 15^th, regarding the meal allowance for workers employed at Integrated Border and Customs Posts, was approved.

This amendment to the law takes into account the need to update the amount of the meal allowance, in order to bring the amount received in line with the actual circumstances in which the work is performed and to ensure that the amount of this allowance is uniform for all employees at Integrated Border and Customs Posts. The Government has therefore decided to increase the amount of the allowance from US$7 to US$10.

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In accordance with the draft presented by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jesuína Maria Ferreira Gomes, the Council of Ministers decided to approve the Agreement between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Vanuatu on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports.

This Agreement reflects the desire to strengthen existing relations and facilitate official visits between the two countries through the reciprocal recognition of diplomatic, official, and service passports and the granting of visa exemptions to their holders for entry into and stays in each other’s territories.

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The Council of Ministers decided to approve the Agreement between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Vanuatu on the Technical Cooperation Program for Development, which was also presented by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

The main objectives of the Agreement are to promote development cooperation across strategic areas, to strengthen peace, stability, and security by advancing shared values, and to establish mutually beneficial mechanisms for technical collaboration between the two States.

Through this Agreement, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Vanuatu reaffirm their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, thereby strengthening the partnership between two Pacific island states that share common challenges and a shared goal of promoting sustainable development, prosperity, and regional stability.

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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Law Proposal, presented by Agio Pereira, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which requests legislative authorisation from the National Parliament regarding crimes and criminal procedure in the area of cybersecurity and the definition of the legal framework for the national cyberspace.

The purpose of this law proposal is to grant the Government legislative authorization to adopt a comprehensive legislative package on cybersecurity, comprising the National Cybersecurity Strategy, the legal framework for national cyberspace security, the regulatory framework for digital services, and the criminal and criminal procedural framework applicable to crimes committed in the digital environment, including rules on the collection of electronic evidence.

The legislative authorisation allows the Government to define new types of crimes committed in the digital environment; establish procedural mechanisms for the prevention, investigation, combating, and prosecution of cybercrime; regulate the collection and preservation of digital evidence; define the responsibilities of digital service providers and the mechanisms for notifying, removing, or blocking illegal content; strengthen international cooperation; establish a whistleblower protection system, especially with regard to the safety of minors online; and establish a national framework for governance, monitoring, response, and coordination in the area of cybersecurity.

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Lastly, the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, approving the third amendment to Decree-Law No. 18/2012 of April 4^th, was approved.

This amendment aims to expand the scope of support for preschool and Senior Secondary education, strengthening the role of the subsidy as a tool for promoting educational inclusion from the earliest stages of development and beyond Primary and Secondary School (Years 1–9). END

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This information booklet provides an overview of the One-Stop Service Centre (Balcão Único), including its definition and objectives, the legal and strategic framework underpinning its implementation, the different service delivery channels available, the establishment of One-Stop Service Centres across the municipalities and RAEOA, the main achievements to date, and the next steps for the continued development of the initiative. It highlights the One-Stop Service Centre’s contribution to delivering public services that are faster, simpler, more transparent, and more accessible to all citizens.

On July 14^th, 2026, the National Parliament approved, in a final overall vote, Law Proposal No. 22/VI (2nd) – General Framework for the Financial System and Banking Activities, with 51 votes in favour, no votes against, and six abstentions. The plenary session was presided over by the President of Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay, and attended by the Vice-Minister of Finance, Regina de Jesus de Sousa; the Governor of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste (BCTL), Hélder Lopes; and the Vice Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Adérito Hugo da Costa. 

The passing of this law constitutes a structural reform of the national financial system, replacing the legal framework in force since 2000 and establishing a new legal regime for the financial and banking sectors, adapted to developments in the national economy and to international standards for financial supervision and regulation.

The new framework strengthens the Central Bank of Timor-Leste’s regulatory, supervisory, and enforcement powers, introduces measures to enhance financial stability, establishes the Resolution Fund and the Deposit Insurance Fund, and, for the first time, sets out the legal framework for development banks. The law also strengthens measures to prevent and combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and to protect consumers, depositors, and investors.

On behalf of the Government and the Central Bank of Timor-Leste, the Vice Minister of Finance thanked the National Parliament for its consideration of the draft law, for the constructive debate, and for the sense of responsibility shown throughout the legislative process.

The Vice Minister emphasised that the passage of the law proposal “represents not only the adoption of a law but also a joint commitment between the Government and the National Parliament to strengthen confidence, stability, and the modernisation of the national financial system.” She also thanked members of Parliament for their contributions, suggestions, and recommendations, which helped refine the legislation to address the country’s current challenges and future needs.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste emphasised that the new law modernises and consolidates the legal framework governing banking and non-banking financial institutions, thereby strengthening the Central Bank’s supervisory capacity, promoting greater financial system stability, and aligning Timor-Leste with international standards on prudential regulation, risk management, and the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.

 

On July 10^th and 11^th, 2026, the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, presented the results of the mini–Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) in Bobonaro and the Oe-Cússe Ambeno Special Administrative Region (RAEOA). That same week, the Secretary of State for General Senior Secondary Education and Vocational Secondary Education, Domingos Lopes Lemos, made a working visit to the RAEOA to improve conditions in Senior Secondary (Years 10–12), distributing computer equipment and holding meetings with educational communities. 

On July 10^th at the Dom Bosco Technical and Vocational School in Maumali, Bobonaro, and on July 11^th at the Palaban Central Elementary School in the RAEOA, the Minister presented the results of assessments of 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-grade students in the Primary and Secondary School (Years 1-9) to measure their basic reading, writing, and maths skills.

EGRA assesses reading skills, comprehension, and reading fluency, while EGMA measures basic numeracy skills, including calculation, comparing numbers, and solving simple maths problems. These assessments help identify students’ essential skills in the early years of schooling and support improvements in teaching practices.

In Bobonaro, the minister emphasised that literacy and numeracy form the foundation of academic success and of students’ educational journey.

“We recognise that we still face challenges in literacy and numeracy. That is why it is essential to assess students’ skills in the early years of schooling. A student who has not mastered reading or basic arithmetic will find it harder to keep up with other subjects throughout their school career.”

The Acting President of the Bobonaro Municipal Authority, Domingos da Costa, reaffirmed the municipal administration’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Education’s educational policies and encouraged schools to use EGRA and EGMA results to improve the quality of education.

At RAEOA, the Minister emphasised the importance of lesson plans as a tool to guide teaching and improve student learning.

“The lesson plan is the roadmap that guides our work. It is where we define the lesson’s objectives, activities, necessary materials, and how to assess whether students have understood the content. When teachers properly prepare and master the lesson plan, the teaching process proceeds in an organised manner, and students benefit from more effective learning.”

The President of the RAEOA Authority, Régio da Cruz, expressed the regional administration’s support for the Ministry of Education’s programmes and urged schools to use the assessment results to develop action plans to improve student performance and teaching methods.

From July 6^th to 8^th, the Secretary of State for General Senior Secondary Education and Vocational Secondary Education, Domingos Lopes Lemos, also paid a working visit to the RAEOA, with a focus on improving the operating conditions of general and technical-vocational secondary schools.

During the visit, he presided over the launch of an IT equipment distribution initiative, which included the delivery of 20 computers and a printer to the Palaban Vocational Secondary Education High School, six computers to the São João Paulo II Catholic Vocational Secondary Education High School in Pássabe, and six computers and a printer to the Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão Agricultural Technical High School in Pante-Makassar, to support teaching and learning and the schools’ administrative management.

The Secretary of State also met with the principals of public, private, and technical-vocational secondary schools in the RAEOA to learn about the sector’s key challenges. He then visited Boknana Central Elementary School, where he discussed with local authorities and parents a proposal to establish a parallel General Senior Secondary (Years 10–12) class to facilitate students’ access to Senior Secondary. The Ministry of Education will conduct the necessary technical evaluation before the measure is potentially implemented.

 

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On July 9^th, 2026, at the Ministry of Health in Dili, the Minister of Justice, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, and the Minister of Health, Élia António de Araújo dos Reis Amaral, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen institutional cooperation between the two ministries in providing healthcare to inmates in Timor-Leste’s prisons. 

The memorandum sets out a framework for the joint coordination, planning, implementation, and monitoring of prison health programmes to ensure that inmates have access to adequate healthcare in accordance with national and international human rights standards.

The cooperation will cover areas such as health promotion, disease prevention and treatment, mental health services, control of infectious and non-infectious diseases, immunisation, nutrition, maternal and child health, and emergency response in prison settings.

Under the agreement, the Ministries of Justice and Health also commit to providing medical care—including consultations and first aid—to inmates in the prisons in Becora, Suai, and Gleno. The memorandum also provides for the supply of essential medicines and medical care tailored to the specific needs of the prison population, with special attention to the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and mothers with children who remain in prison facilities in accordance with the law.

In his remarks, the Minister of Justice stated that institutional cooperation between the two ministries is grounded in the principles of mutual benefit, mutual respect, shared responsibility, and effective coordination, to ensure that inmates have access to high-quality, dignified, and appropriate health care services.

The Minister of Health thanked the leaders of both ministries for their work, which enabled the rapid finalisation of this memorandum, noting that it marks a strategic step towards expanding and strengthening the provision of health services in correctional facilities. She also reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to continue providing technical support and mobilising the necessary resources to ensure comprehensive and continuous health care for the prison population, particularly the most vulnerable individuals.

Vice-Minister for Hospital Operationalisation Flávio Brandão Mendes de Araújo, officials from the Ministries of Justice and Health, representatives of relevant institutions, and other official guests also attended the ceremony.