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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers of May 21, 2020
The Council of Ministers met at the Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão Auditorium, at the Ministry of Finance, in Dili and approved the draft deliberation, presented by the Minister of Justice, Manuel Cárceres da Costa, on the exceptional authorization of the use of smaller capital funds in duodecimal regime. This resolution aims to allow the payment of services provided for the supply of computer equipment and furniture to the Ministry of Justice.
The Council of Ministers approved the draft deliberation, presented by the Acting Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, on the authorisation for the conclusion of an agreement between the Governments of Timor-Leste and Australia on a direct financial contribution to be made by the Government of Australia, worth seven million Australian dollars, to support community resilience and economic recovery in Timor-Leste during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council of Ministers delegated the competence to sign the agreement to the Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste.
The Acting Minister of Finance also presented the draft resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, concerning the authorisation to conclude an agreement between the Government of Timor-Leste and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on a grant under the “Leaving no one behind in Timor-Leste’s COVID-19 response - Financial Support for the Implementation of the cash transfer scheme for low-income households”. Under the terms of this agreement, the ILO will donate to the Government of Timor-Leste the amount of US$748,000 to finance the operational costs of implementing support to Timorese households, approved by Decree-Law No. 15/2020 of April 30. The Acting Minister of Finance was given full powers to sign this agreement.
The Council of Ministers approved the authorization for the conclusion of the contract for the purchase of 30,000 tons of rice from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, presented by the National Supply Commission of Timor-Leste, the Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment and the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry to strengthen the existing rice stock in the country and to cope with a possible shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council of Ministers delegated to the Administrator of the National Logistics Center (CNL), representing the Government of Timor-Leste, the competence to sign the contract.
The Council of Ministers approved the Organic of the Eight Constitutional Government, introducing two amendments, in relation to the diploma approved at the last meeting of the Executive. The first amendment concerns the hierarchy of the members of the Government. Thus, the Prime Minister precedes the two Deputy Ministers, followed by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, who precedes the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, followed by the other ministers according to the structure approved last week. The approved Decree-Law also provides for a change in the powers conferred on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who is responsible for organising, boosting or participating in any type of activities that are necessary for the establishment and operation of a sub-regional integrated economic cooperation and development platform between Timor-Leste, Indonesia and Australia.
In accordance with the amendment introduced in the organic law, the Council of Ministers also approved the draft Decree-Law on the extinction of the ad hoc mission unit for integrated sub regional economic development and its organic structure. This law is repeals the Decree-Law No. 17/2014, of July 16, with the duties of this unit now continued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
The Council of Ministers approved the timetable for preparing the General State Budget for fiscal year 2020. According to the approved timetable, the proposed Law should be considered at the Meeting of the Council of Ministers on 22 July 2020 and submitted to the National Parliament on 30 July 2020. ENDS