On September 29th, 2023, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão welcomed the United Kingdom’s Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who was on an official visit to Timor-Leste from September 29th to October 2nd. This is the first visit by a member of the British Government to the country since independence.
During the meeting, various issues were discussed, such as labour migration and strengthening bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on health and development.
Minister Trevelyan expressed that the UK remains open to receiving Timorese workers, stressing the need to do so legally. The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, highlighted the employment opportunities in the UK, emphasising that the experience of these workers in the various areas in which they work will also be valuable for national development.
The Minister for the Indo-Pacific also reiterated the UK’s support for Timor-Leste’s full membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
During her visit, the British Minister took part in launching a joint program between the Government of Timor-Leste, the UK Government and UNICEF aimed at combating child malnutrition in Timor-Leste. Financed by the British Government, the program aims to capacitate support groups in the community to identify cases of malnutrition and provide caregivers with essential knowledge about nutritional practices for children.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan also participated in the “Women in Leadership” event, resulting from a partnership between the Government of Timor-Leste and UN Women, with financing from the United Kingdom. This initiative aims to promote women’s participation in security, conflict resolution and the formulation of development policies.