The Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, has completed a working visit to the Principality of Monaco.  During the 2-day visit, 9-11 December, the Minister met with Monaco’s Head of State, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the Head of Government, Minister of State Michel Roger, and Archbishop Bernard Barsi.  The visit served to renew and solidify the special relationship between Timor-Leste and Monaco begun 35 years ago.

In 1979, the late Princess Grace of Monaco visited the Vale do Jamor Timorese refugee camp outside Lisbon, Portugal.  Witnessing the desperate conditions in the camp, the Princess donated funds for the refugees’ medical care and education.  HSH Prince Albert II has continued his late mother’s humanitarian legacy with the sponsorship of two maternity clinics in Timor-Leste – the Prince Rainier III Clinic in Same, and the Princess Grace Maternity Clinic in Passabe – as well as a sandalwood reforestation project in Lifau, Oe-cusse Ambeno.

Minister Pereira hand-delivered to HSH Prince Albert II a letter from Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, together with a copy of the Prime Minister’s book, “Strategies for the Future”, inscribed by PM Gusmão with a personal dedication to His Serene Highness.  Minister Pereira apprised HSH the Prince, the Monaco Minister of State and the Archbishop of developments in Timor-Leste, and extended invitations to them to visit Timor-Leste in 2015 for the quincentenary commemorations of Portuguese arrival in Timor.

In addition, the delegation met with the Monaco Red Cross to thank them for their generous support in building the Princess Grace Maternity Clinic in Oe-cusse Ambeno, and to open the door to future joint projects and further assistance in midwives training.

The delegation included Timor-Leste Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Marciano da Silva, and Special Advisor on Strategic Projects, Grace Phan, who met with Monaco company ES-KO to explore potential commercial synergies.  Also in the delegation were Minister Pereira’s wife, Yeni, and son, AJ, to reflect and reiterate the family dimension of the unique relationship between Timor-Leste and the Principality of Monaco.

Ambassador Marciano da Silva is in the process of being accredited to Monaco in 2015.