Protocol re-establishes full cooperation with Portugal in the area of Justice
Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, February 25th, 2016
Protocol re-establishes full cooperation with Portugal in the area of Justice
Today in Lisbon, Portugal, Timor-Leste’s Minister of Justice H.E. Ivo Valente and Portugal’s Minister of Justice H.E. Francisca Van Dunem signed a Protocol of Cooperation in the area of Justice. The Protocol between the Ministry of Justice of the Portuguese Republic and the Ministry of Justice of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste marks the resumption of full cooperation with Portugal in the judicial area.
The document signed today is the result of in depth consultations between Timor-Leste and Portugal on how to best resume bilateral cooperation in the area of Justice, to deliver the desired long-term results, particularly the training of Timorese justice personnel. The aim of all training, mentoring and capacity building is to enable the justice sector to be well served by Timorese personnel and to create an environment where the nation can stand on its own two feet in the judicial sector, independent and sovereign.
Areas covered by the Protocol include legislation and legal policy, criminal investigation, forensic sciences, prison management and social reintegration, registry and notary functions, access to law and alternative dispute resolution, international relations and international law, and various aspects related to the planning and administration of justice.
Within the agreement are protocols for monitoring and evaluation coupled with commitments for timely communication to allow the resolution of any issues through mutual consultation. These provisions will help ensure the cooperation program stays on track to achieve its goals.
The new Protocol extinguishes the previous 2014 Protocol of Cooperation and the 2008 Memorandum on Technical Cooperation for Criminal Investigation and Forensic Sciences.
While today’s agreement marks a new beginning, important cooperation has been ongoing in the judicial sector with the European Union, through the European Development Fund, a cooperation delegated in the Public Institute Camões, in areas such as technical support to the Scientific Police for Criminal Investigation and the Board of Auditors and the improvement of systems in the National Directorate for Registration and Notary.
Portugal and Timor-Leste have many successful and long-standing cooperation partnerships including programs in Education and Defense.
Spokesperson for the Sixth Constitutional Government, Minister of State Agio Pereira noted “the Government of Timor-Leste welcomes the new cooperation protocol and has appreciated the frank, positive and respectful way the consultations have been conducted leading up to today’s signing ceremony. This new protocol guides ongoing bilateral cooperation to achieve our mutually agreed goals; the consolidation of the Timorese justice sector, particularly through institutional strengthening and the training of Timorese judicial actors.” ENDS
