The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers met with the new United States of America’s Ambassador in Timor-Leste, Charles Kevin Blackstone, for the first time since the diplomat delivered his credential letters to the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, on March 19th. The meeting took place on March 30th, at the Government Palace, in Dili.
During the meeting, the Minister and the U.S. Ambassador addressed several issues related to bilateral cooperation, national priorities, and the epidemiological situation caused by COVID-19.
The diplomat highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two countries, based on the sharing of common values and stressed the commitment of the United States of America to continue to deepen this relationship and work together with the Government of Timor-Leste in the development of the country.
One of the projects highlighted in the meeting was the program with the American agency Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which has been led by Minister Fidelis Magalhães since 2018, when he signed an initial funding agreement with MCC, to create a team responsible for identifying the economic sectors to be developed during the implementation of the program. The program will be worth around US$ 285 million, to be implemented over a five-year period, focusing on education and water and sanitation. Preparatory studies and data collection are underway. This information is necessary to determine the projects to be covered in the implementation agreement, which is due to be signed in 2021.
Also highlighted at the meeting was USAID’s new cooperation program, which provides for an amount of US$ 93 million for the next five years. The program was prepared based on government priorities and with a focus on diversifying the non-oil economy.
The Minister and the American diplomat also discussed the progress of the Baucau airfield rehabilitation project, and the Ambassador reiterated that the United States doesn’t intend to have any intervention in the future use of the airfield. The Minister reaffirmed the Government’s will to move forward with this project, whose agreement is under discussion by the Vice-Prime Minister, José Maria dos Reis, with the American Embassy.