The Nineteenth Council of Ministers of the CPLP was held on Tuesday, July 22, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, in Dili, finalizing preparations for the Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held on Wednesday Friday, July 23.

In a closed meeting were presented various reports including: the Report of the Outgoing President of the Council of Ministers of the CPLP, Oldemiro Baloi; the Report of the Executive Secretary, Murade Murargy; the Report of the Special Representative of the CPLP in Guinea-Bissau, Carlos Moura; and the Report of the Director of the International Portuguese Language Institute, Professor Gilvan Muller de Oliveira. Several Draft Resolutions and Draft Declarations for the conference were analysed and recommendations issued

At this meeting, which took place throughout all day, Mozambique gave the rotating Presidency to Timor-Leste, who takes office during the next two years.

After the meeting, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Luís Guterres, now acting as President of the Council of Ministers of the CPLP, spoke to the media, summarizing the work done throughout the day. The Director-General of the CPLP, Georgina Benrós de Mello was also present in this communication to the media, and congratulated “the Government of Timor-Leste and the whole machine that was built to host the summit”. The Director-General of the Community also stressed the “smooth way” in which the transition of the rotating presidency took place, concluding that the easy way in which the work is being performed demonstrates the maturity of the CPLP.