The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, and several members of the Government met last week with the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships of the World Food Program (WFP), Stanlake Samkange, accompanied by the WFP’s head in Timor-Leste, Cecilia Garzon, and her team, to intensify cooperation in food security and nutrition. 

Stanlake Samkange visited Timor-Leste between August 23^rd and 27^th, 2023, aiming to strengthen the joint efforts of the 9th Government of Timor-Leste with the WFP and other critical partners in food security and nutrition.

The Government members and WFP representatives discussed approaches to combating food insecurity and malnutrition through shared investments in agriculture and water management, nutrition-sensitive value chains and human capital development. 

During his stay in the country, Samkange visited the fortified rice production project in the municipality of Baucau, a programme designed to link agricultural investment with education through the Government’s school meals programme, which is supported by the WFP and financed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

World Food Programme’s Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships said, “WFP is committed to supporting the Government of Timor-Leste’s goal of developing national human capital and eradicating hunger and malnutrition in the country”. Stanlake Samkange also argued that “smart investment in local food production and healthy eating are essential to building strong and healthy human capital and ensuring inclusive and prosperous economic growth”.