The Government of Timor-Leste with the support from the Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), hosted a virtual ADB Board Group Visit to Timor-Leste.
This first ever virtual Visit by thirty-five Executive and Alternate Executive Directors of the Board, aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the conditions on the ground in Timor-Leste as well as to get a much better sense of the opportunities and challenges that the Bank is facing in supporting Timor-Leste’s development efforts, objectives and ambitions.
This High-Level Visit was an opportunity for the Board members to express on behalf of the Bank, their commitment and interest in working with the Government of Timor-Leste and to solicit feedback on the development aspects falling within the portfolio of ADB to Timor-Leste.
The Visit was also a unique momentum for the relevant members of the Government to discuss and seek recommendations from the Bank and to strengthen their relationship with the Bank in order to support Timor-Leste in achieving its development goals, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which ADB is aligned under its 2030 Strategy.
In his Opening Remarks, Prime Minister, General Taur Matak Ruak said, “This first ever virtual visit of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank to our country, marks the beginning of a new period of hope and opportunities. A moment that coincides with the internal transfer of our Country within the ADB, from the Pacific Region to the Southeast Asia Regional Directorate. This is a long-awaited transfer for our Government and renews the ADB member countries’ continued support for our bid to become a full Member State of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). We are very grateful for all the support provided by your bank, so far.”
This two-day vBGV involved several policy and technical discussions. Specifically, at the Executive level, the Board Group also met with Minister of Finance, Rui Augusto Gomes who is also the Governor representing Timor-Leste at ADB, and the Vice-Minister of Finance, Sara Lobo Brites, Alternate Governor representing Timor-Leste at ADB, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Adaljiza Magno, the Minister of Public Works, Salvador Pires and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pedro dos Reis, representatives of the autonomous agencies, Development Partners as well as the private sector.
“ADB has been playing a pivotal role in the development of this nation since its inception. From the birth of our Nation, the Restauration of Independence nineteen years ago, and throughout the development trajectory, the work and experience of partnerships have been significant for a country arising out of destruction and long-suffering, be it in the form of sharing knowledge and expertise, building infrastructures, providing financial resources and transferring technologies to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals – helping to build a society that is more just, inclusive and resilient. I would like to sincerely thank you for your continuous support to our development process and for assisting us in dealing with the challenges facing the country. Timor-Leste is grateful to have ADB as a trusted partner and we can move forward in addressing the challenges,” said the Governor of ADB from Timor-Leste, Rui Augusto Gomes.