The Minister of State and of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Luís Guterres, following an invitation from the Mataram University, has held a working visit to Mataram, in the Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) between November 24th and 27th.
During this visit, the Minister of State met with the Vice-Chancellor of Mataram University, in order to debate the current and future cooperation with Timor-Leste, and also to give a lecture on the Bilateral Relations between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.
“The aim of this lecture is sharing all aspects involving the development process of our country, as well as our current and future relations with Indonesia, with all the students and the University Board of Directors”, referred the Minister José Luís Guterres.
The Minister of State and of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation also met with the Administrator from the Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat, TGH. M. Zainul Majdi PhD, in order to discuss the increases in value from the agricultural sector and other small industries in the Province, and also a possible cooperation between Timor-Leste and Nusa Tenggara Barat.
According to José Luís Guterres, “this meeting mainly aimed at discussing the trilateral cooperation initiated by the Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and also deepen relationships between the people of Timor-Leste and Indonesia”.
The Minister of State took the chance to return the invitation, to the Administrator of the Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat, to visit Timor-Leste in the near future.
At the same time, the Triangular Unit Mission for Timor-Leste-Indonesia-Australia Development, integrated in the Prime Minister’s Office, held a work visit to the Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat, in order to discuss with the various stakeholders (the Administrator, the Chamber of Commerce and the University) the trilateral cooperatation between Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Australia.
José Luís Guterres also took the chance to visit community development centres and local industries in Mataram, such as poultry and cattle breeding, the pearl production industry and also the bamboo industry.