Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, June 7th, 2015
Development partnerships reinvigorated by the 2015 TLDPM
The Timor-Leste Development Partners Meeting [TLDPM] was held on Saturday at the Dili Convention Centre. The Government convenes the meeting annually with development partners and a broad range of stakeholders to share their vision for the future, articulate medium term priorities and reflect on progress achieved in national development. This year the focus of the TLDPM was on “Consolidating Institutions Transitioning Toward Resilience.”
In his keynote speech Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo noted the meeting was being held in the shadow of the passing of H.E. Fernando La Sama de Araújo. He thanked the international community and development partners for “mourning with us and for showing such deep respect for our national hero.”
The Prime Minister went on to reflect on the achievements of Timor-Leste since the restoration of independence explaining that “with a foundation of security and peace, we have been able to grow our economy to provide more jobs for our people” and “to set a long term plan to build our infrastructure and improve our social services.” However he also underlined that there are still “many challenges” with large numbers of Timorese people still living in poor conditions, rising inequality between those living in Dili and those in the districts, and the pressing need to improve “public service delivery and the quality of government public works.”
Addressing these challenges are at the heart of the Program of the Sixth Constitutional Government. Presentations and panel discussions at the 2015 TLDPM outlined specific actions to be undertaken by the government over the next two years, particularly through a reform program which includes public administration reform, fiscal and tax reform and the harmonisation and standardisation of laws.
International issues were also discussed at the meeting including the Post-2015 Development Agenda of the United Nations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, H.E. Hernâni Coehlo explained the steps taken so far in the formation of this new agenda and set out those to be taken in the coming months. Timor-Leste, particularly through it’s embassy in New York, has advocated strongly for a “peace goal” in the new agenda based on the principle accepted by fellow g7+ countries and born out in Timor-Leste’s own experience, that “there is no development without peace and no peace without development.”
Minister of Planning and Strategic Development, H.E. Xanana Kay Rala Gusmão, spoke to this idea and both domestic and international development journeys in his keynote address “Moving from Peacebuilding to Statebuilding: Past, Preset and Future Challenges.”
Other special presentations included a talk by H.E. Dr. Mari Alkatiri, covering the current approach of consensus for statebuilding and the innovation of the special development zones, and a panel presentation of six representatives from g7+ countries discussing “Exiting Fragility and Moving toward Resilience.”
The visitors from the g7+ countries expressed their gratitude for the support and leadership that Timor-Leste has given to the group. According to the representative from Guinea-Bissau it was clear that Timor-Leste’s on the ground efforts had been crucial to their free and fair election last year. The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Central African Republic, H.E. Ms. Florence Limbio, also spoke highly of the efforts being made by Timor-Leste in her country, especially the recent visit of Minister H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
In 2011 the TLDPM was the platform used to launch Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan. This year it was again a “launch platform” with the official launch of the g7+ “New Deal Assessment” and the “2013 National Accounts”.
Also forming part of the program of the 2015 TLDPM was a series of bilateral meetings convened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation on the 4th of June.
Spokesperson for the Sixth Constitutional Government, Minister of State Agio Pereira noted “We appreciate the participation of our development partners in the 2015 TLDPM. This year’s meeting has been an important forum to discuss the priorities of this new government with our partners. These exchanges enhance our cooperation so that together we can expand and improve the results of all our efforts.”