The Timor-Leste and Development Partners Annual Meeting (TLDPM) took place on July 30th, 2021, in the auditorium of the Ministry of Finance.

This annual event, co-chaired by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, brings together various national development stakeholders, including Government, development partners, private sector, civil society organizations and other key stakeholders to reflect on the challenges and successes achieved and underway, and to consider ways to strengthen and align national priorities with future development initiatives in Timor-Leste.

The theme of this year’s meeting was “Overcoming the Crisis: Rebuilding Better for Inclusive Recovery and Development”.

The meeting began with an address by the Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes and the opening speech by the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak.

The Head of Government stated that “the Timorese have always shown their enormous capacity of adaptation, resistance and ability to overcome great challenges” and that “this capacity of the Timorese People” will be demonstrated once again “in this new cycle of hope driven by the National Vaccination Plan against COVID-19″.

This “new cycle of hope” “allows us to face the future with an optimism full of opportunities, to provide growth and create significant economic benefits for all”, highlighted the Prime Minister.

The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, in his presentation, listed the six priorities defined by the Government in the last Budgetary Days seminar, to “provide security and lasting human development”, with special focus “on the growing young population”, and to “create a viable path out of poverty for all Timorese and towards a good and decent life”.

The six priority areas are: 1) Education and Vocational Training; 2) Health; 3) Housing and Social Protection; 4) Agriculture, Tourism and Connectivity; 5) Private Sector Development; and 6) Good Governance.

Minister Fidelis Magalhães thanked the development partners for “participating in the meeting and for providing technical and financial assistance to our nation”. He further stated that “this partnership is crucial for the achievement of our development goals”.

The morning session also included a presentation on “Timor-Leste: Recovery and Reconstruction Post-Covid-19″, by the former Prime Minister, Marí Bin Amude Alkatiri and a presentation on the “Timor-Leste’s Accession to ASEAN” process, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Adaljiza Magno.

The afternoon session, which had as its main theme “Overcoming the Crisis”, included presentations on the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 and on the effects of Cyclone Seroja, by the Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo and the Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho, respectively.

The Timor-Leste Plan for Food Security and Nutrition was also presented by the Coordinator of the Civil Society Support Office, from the Prime Minister’s Office, Filipe da Costa.

The Vice-Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, presented the state of play of the Public Financial Management and Tax Reform process. This reform aims to ensure greater value for money in financial management and service delivery, decentralise and improve procurement, financial and asset management and improve revenue mobilisation and collection.

Before the Minister Adaljiza Magno’s closing speech, there was a round table discussion on the themes presented, also moderated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.