Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 20, 2019
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Eighth Constitutional Government
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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of March 20, 2019
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and heard the presentation of the results of the national survey on public opinion in Timor-Leste conducted between October and November 2018 by the International Republican Institute (IRI). The study reveals high levels of public interest in the national political process and presents as the main concerns of citizens the quality of roads, access to safe drinking water and unemployment.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dionisio da Costa Babo Soares, presented the proposal for a Council of Ministers' Deliberation on the Strategic Cooperation Program (PEC) between Portugal and Timor-Leste for the period from 2018 to 2022. The PEC defines as sectors of priority intervention the "Consolidation of the Rule of Law and Good Governance", "Education, Training and Culture" and "Inclusive Socioeconomic Development." The Council of Ministers approved the proposed agreement of the PEC to be signed in July 2019 by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the two countries.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of Australia for the participation of national citizens in the Pacific Labor Scheme. This Australian Government program, which began in July 2018, allows workers from various nations in the Pacific region to apply for low-to medium-skilled jobs in rural Australia. The Pacific Labor Program enables Timorese citizens to acquire work knowledge and experience and, on the other hand, allows Australian employers to gain access to reliable labor. The Council of Ministers granted full powers to the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Julião da Silva, for the signing of this memorandum of understanding.
The Council of Ministers analyzed alternatives and possible agreements for the international air connections presented by the Minister of Transport and Communications, José Agustinho da Silva, in order to standardize the air transport service in the country. In this regard, the Minister of Transport and Communications was given full powers to sign an Agreement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Government of Malaysia for air transport services between the two countries. ENDS
