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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

The Government extends its heartfelt condolences on the passing of Father João Felgueiras

The Government of Timor-Leste extends its deepest condolences regarding the passing of Father João Vasconcelos Baptista Felgueiras, S.J., who died today, July 3^rd, in Dili, at the age of 105.

Born in Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal, on June 9^th, 1921, Father João Felgueiras arrived in Timor-Leste in 1971 to serve as vice-rector of the Seminary of the Diocese of Dili. A Jesuit missionary, he dedicated more than half a century to serving the Timorese people. As a Portuguese-language teacher, educator, and missionary, he contributed to the education of successive generations of Timorese and to the preservation and promotion of the Portuguese language, even during the years when its use was prohibited under Indonesian occupation.

After the Indonesian invasion of 1975, he chose to remain in Timor-Leste, despite the personal risks and recommendations to leave the territory, standing with the Timorese people during one of the most difficult periods in their history. His pastoral, educational, and humanitarian mission made an important contribution to preserving national identity and promoting solidarity, human dignity, and hope.

His dedication to education and human development also led to the creation and promotion of initiatives with significant social impact, notably through the Social Charitable Aid Fund of the Society of Jesus (FACSI – acronym in Portuguese) and the Friends of Jesus Community, which enabled the award of scholarships to hundreds of young East Timorese, many of whom went on to assume important roles in government and society. His legacy also lives on in institutions such as the Padre António Vieira Youth Centre and the Amigos de Jesus School, which bear witness to his enduring commitment to educating future generations.

In recognition of his outstanding service to Timor-Leste and its people, he was honoured by the Timorese government with the Insignia of the Order of Timor-Leste in 2009 and, in 2022, with the Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste, the nation’s highest honour. In 2011, he was also granted Timorese citizenship in recognition of his distinguished and significant service to the country. Portugal likewise honoured his career by awarding him the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Liberty in 2002 and the Grand Cross of the Order of Camões in 2022. In 2024, during his Apostolic Visit to Timor-Leste, Pope Francis paid him a personal tribute in recognition of his long mission in the service of the Timorese people.

The legacy of Father João Felgueiras will forever be linked to the history of Timor-Leste. His life of service, courage, solidarity, and dedication stands as an example of commitment to education, justice, human dignity, and national development. It will endure in the memory and gratitude of the Timorese people.

Agio Pereira, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Government Spokesperson, states, “At this time of mourning, the Government extends its deepest condolences to the Society of Jesus, the Catholic Church, his family, friends, former students, and all the people of Timor-Leste. We share in the sorrow of his passing and pay tribute to the memory of a man who made Timor-Leste his homeland—both in mission and in heart.” END

 

Remarks by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Dili, 3 July 2026

Media statement by H. E. the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Government Palace, Dili, 3 July 2026

The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, met today, July 3, at the Government Palace in Dili with the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, as part of the latter’s first official visit to Timor-Leste. The visit, the first by a Singaporean Prime Minister to the country, also included the awarding of the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, the highest honour bestowed by the Timorese State, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening relations between Timor-Leste and Singapore, including Singapore’s support for Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN. 

The visit comes at a particularly significant time, following Timor-Leste’s accession as the 11th ASEAN Member State, and follows up on the official visit made by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão to Singapore in July 2025. The talks focused on deepening bilateral cooperation, preparing Timor-Leste for full participation in ASEAN, and identifying new opportunities for collaboration in investment, labour mobility, education, health, the blue economy, connectivity, and human capital development.

During the bilateral meeting, the two Heads of Government explored ways to elevate cooperation between the two countries. They agreed to strengthen political dialogue by signing a memorandum of understanding on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries, to reinforce Singapore’s support for Timor-Leste in ASEAN by expanding the Enhanced Singapore–Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (e-STARS) program, and to deepen cooperation in the economic, educational, and health sectors. The meeting also provided an opportunity to highlight Singapore’s decision to open certain sectors of its economy to Timorese workers, establishing new opportunities for labour mobility.

At the joint press conference, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão thanked Singapore for its continued support for Timor-Leste’s regional integration and stated that “Singapore has been a trusted partner and a friend of Timor-Leste. It has supported our people, our institutions, and our preparations for ASEAN membership.” He added that “Timor-Leste looks forward to building on the outcomes of this visit, including in the areas of cooperation within ASEAN, labour mobility, education, health, investment, connectivity, and regional affairs.”

When asked about the priorities for future cooperation between the two countries, the Timorese Head of Government highlighted human resource development as one of the country’s main challenges, stating that “our main challenge continues to be human resources” and that “I cannot say that one [area] takes priority over the others. “They are all equally important.” He also noted that the agreement signed by the two countries’ Ministries of Foreign Affairs will enable deeper collaboration across various sectors.

Regarding the opening of Singapore’s labour market to Timorese citizens, the Prime Minister emphasised that “this is an important announcement made today by the Prime Minister. It represents a very significant development in relations between our two countries,” adding that this measure will allow Timorese workers to acquire skills and professional experience, thereby contributing to national development upon their return to Timor-Leste.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong described his visit to Dili as historic, stating, “This is my first visit to Timor-Leste. It is the first visit by a Singaporean Prime Minister to Timor-Leste. And it takes place during Timor-Leste’s first year as a full member of ASEAN.” He also emphasised that “Singapore feels privileged to be able to accompany Timor-Leste on its journey of nation-building”. He recalled that his country’s support began even before the restoration of national independence.

The Head of the Singaporean Government also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste in this new phase of its regional integration, stating that “Singapore will continue to support Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN” and announcing the expansion of the e-STARS program to support preparations for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2029.

Regarding the labour mobility program, Lawrence Wong described it as “a win-win initiative,” adding that “Timor-Leste is a young nation, but we believe it has enormous potential for development and growth. Singapore will do its part to help Timor-Leste succeed. Because a strong Timor-Leste contributes to a strong ASEAN.”

Before the bilateral meeting, the Prime Minister of Singapore was welcomed by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, at the Presidential Palace. On that occasion, the Head of State awarded Lawrence Wong the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste. In his remarks, the President stated that the award “recognises his strong commitment to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Singapore and Timor-Leste.” He also emphasised that, “under his leadership, bilateral relations have advanced significantly, particularly concerning institutional development, human resource capacity building, and Timor-Leste’s regional integration.”

José Ramos-Horta also emphasised that “Singapore has been a steadfast partner in our nation-building journey” and expressed his conviction that “this visit will open new and exciting chapters in our bilateral ties and further strengthen the friendship between our nations and our peoples.”

As part of the official visit, an official luncheon was also hosted by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.

On July 1^st, 2026, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão officially launched the Comoro Substation, the 150-kilovolt (kV) transmission grid, and the pilot project to install a 20-kV underground cable between Kuluhun and Becora, at a ceremony held in Fomento II, in the village of Comoro, Dili municipality. The new infrastructure aims to strengthen the national power system’s capacity, improve power supply stability, and meet the growing electricity demand in the capital. 

The construction of the Comoro Substation is part of the 9th Constitutional Government’s strategy to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure and increase the reliability of the power grid, in response to Dili’s urban, economic, and demographic growth.

During the ceremony, the Prime Minister congratulated the construction company on completing the project on schedule and highlighted the importance of maintaining high standards of quality in public infrastructure construction. He also emphasised that national development requires long-term planning and investments that will serve future generations.

The Head of the Government also thanked the development partners, technical experts, and workers involved in implementing the project for their contributions and called on the public and local authorities to protect public infrastructure. He further advocated for the expanded use of underground cables, as they enhance the safety and reliability of the electrical system while improving Dili’s urban layout.

The Minister of Public Works, Samuel Marçal, explained that the new substation addresses the power outages that have occurred over the past few years. He added that the infrastructure boosts the capacity of the existing Camea-Becora Substation, which supplies electricity to Dili, Ermera, and Aileu. According to the minister, increased economic activity, investment, and the construction of new infrastructure in the capital have necessitated the creation of additional power distribution capacity, which will help balance grid load and ensure uninterrupted service during maintenance operations or in the event of a failure.

The project includes the installation of three transformers with a total capacity of 120 MVA, a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, and a 150-kV transmission line approximately five kilometres long, configured as a double-circuit line. The work was carried out over 15 months, with an investment of more than US$22 million.

A pilot project to install a 20-kV underground cable between Kuluhun and Becora was also launched to improve the safety and reliability of power distribution. This solution also ensures a direct connection to the Guido Valadares National Hospital and reduces the risk of power outages at the hospital.

Members of the Government and the National Parliament, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Timor-Leste, Wang Wenli, representatives from EDTL, EP, the private sector, local authorities, and community members attended the ceremony.

 

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