Today, April 7, 2022, the Minister of Presidency of Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães leads a high level of Government delegation to the United States of America (USA) for negotiations on a multi-million-dollar compact under the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The delegation is composed of 14 people consisting of government officials from various ministries such as Ministry of Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães and team, Vice-Minister of Finance Ministry, Antonio Freitas, Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, General Director Antoninho Pires, Representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Culture (MESSC), General Director Maria Fernanda Lay, President of Bee Timor-Leste (BTL,E.P), Eng. Carlos dos Reis Peloi and National Executive Director of Compact Development Team Timor-Leste (CDT-TL), Ambassador Constancio Pinto and his team.
The delegation will be in Washington, D.C, from 7-17 April 2022. The Minister of Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães said: “The purpose of the mission is to negotiate the MCC compact agreement for Timor-Leste. The negotiations will begin on 11April 2022 and are expected to be concluded by April 17, 2022. We are expecting an excellent outcome from the negotiation, which would lead to the signing of the Compact Agreement between Timor-Leste and the United States of America”, said Minister Fidelis”.
The Council of Ministers delegated the Full Power to the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), H.E. Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães to negotiate and Sign the Compact Agreement with United States of America’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
The investment will focuses on two main Compact projects, such as the Water Sanitation and Drainage (WSD) project which include disinfection of national waters, sewage, drainage systems, the strengthening of institutions and regulatory bodies, and the creation of a solid supply of water and sewage for domestic use that complies with the most advanced engineering and procedures at an international level and the Education Project which will include a New Center of Excellence for the training of new teachers which would guaranty quality and leadership standards.
This 5 years assistance package is estimated at US$484.000.000,00 which consist of US$ 420.000.000,00 made available by the MCC, together with US$64.000.000,00 contribution made available by the Government of Timor-Leste.