Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, July 16, 2014
Summit of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries [CPLP] to take place in Díli next week
International leaders will be in Timor-Leste in the coming days to take part in the 10th Conference of the Heads of State and Government of the CPLP. Member States of the CPLP will be represented by the Presidents of Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé and Príncipe, the Vice President of Angola, the Prime Ministers of Guinea-Bissau and Portugal, and Brazil’s Minister of External Relations.
The CPLP was established in 1996 as a multilateral forum to deepen mutual friendship and cooperation among its members, and has eight member States representing more than 240 million people. This year Timor-Leste takes on the responsibility of the Presidency of the CPLP, a rotating role that lasts for two years. An official handover of the Presidential role from Mozambique to Timor-Leste will take place on Wednesday.
The central meeting of the summit will be the Conference of Heads of State and Government on Wednesday the 23rd of July, themed “The CPLP and Globalization.” The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will speak to this topic, outlining the priorities of Timor-Leste’s Presidency which continue the work done in previous Presidencies and include economic and entrepreneurial cooperation, the promotion of partnerships and the transfer of technology and know-how.
Other key CPLP meetings will include the Meeting of Focal Points of Cooperation on the 17th and 18th of July, the 175 Standing Committee for Consultation on the 21st of July and the XIX Annual Meeting of the Council of Ministers on the 22nd of July.
Many other meetings, fora and events are to take place next week including a Seminar on “Economic Globalization and Investment Opportunities: the CPLP and the Asia Pacific Region” held on the 24th of July and the Timor-Leste Development Partners Meeting on the 25th and 26th of July held at the Díli Convention Centre.
The Prime Minster of Portugal will remain in Timor-Leste after the Summit to undertake an official visit.