On January 27th, 2018, the Government held a dialogue meeting with the Oé-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region (RAEOA) community, at the Customs hall in Palaban, Pante Macassar.
During the dialogue with the community, Government members led by the Prime Minister, Marí Alkatiri, had the opportunity to explain to the population the four priority areas established in the Government Program (social, infrastructural development, economic development and institutional modernization), and to listen to the community representatives speak of the population concerns and aspirations regarding the future of the region and the country.
During his speech the Prime Minister stated that “in times of crisis, correct it”, adding that “the Government’s objective is for Oé-cusse to serve as a development model for the rest of the country.”
During the meeting, Marí Alkatiri, ensured that there was sufficient financial means to carry out early elections, adding that the Government wants the elections to happen as soon as possible and that “together with STAE and CNE, it will analyze when the technical conditions are likely to be met so as to organize the elections, in order to inform the President of the Republic of the possible dates”. The Oé-cusse Ambeno community expressed its willingness to vote in the upcoming elections in order to resolve the current political deadlock.
In addition to the Prime Minister, also participating in the organized activity in the Oé-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region were the Interim President of the Special Administrative Region of Oé-Cusse Ambeno (SAROA), Arsénio Bano, the Minister in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Adriano do Nascimento, the Deputy Prime Minister for Governance Affairs, José Maria dos Reis, the Minister of State Administration, Valentim Ximenes, the Vice Minister of State Administration, José Anuno, Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, the Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers and of the Media, Matias Freitas Boavida, suco chiefs, representatives of the Customs, PNTL, FFDTL, CCI-TL, Church and civil society.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister carried out several inspection visits to the projects currently underway in the Oé-cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region to assess the development of the work in progress.