The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, met on Thursday, August 1st, 2024, with the Japanese Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Kimura Tetsuya, at the Government Palace in Dili. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ongoing projects and future collaboration between Timor-Leste and Japan, with the emphasis on strategic areas of national development.
During the meeting, the project to build a shipyard in Laleia, in Manatuto municipality, by a Japanese company was discussed. This project is expected to create around 4,000 jobs, contributing significantly to local economic development. 
Another topic discussed was the rehabilitation of the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, a project supported by the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which aims to improve the airport infrastructure and increase Timor-Leste’s international connectivity.
As part of bilateral cooperation, the implementation of the joint declaration issued by the Prime Ministers of Timor-Leste and Japan in Tokyo on December 16th, 2023, was highlighted, with emphasis on infrastructure development and Timor-Leste’s economic diversification.
Also discussed was the Financial Contribution Agreement between Timor-Leste and Japan, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, worth around 19.6 million US dollars. This agreement refers to the Guido Valadares National Hospital redevelopment project, which includes the construction of a five-story building to house the new pediatrics and intensive care units, with the aim of strengthening service delivery capacity and improving the quality of medical care. The new building is scheduled for completion in April 2027.
Bilateral cooperation projects in the areas of education and training, as well as in the energy sector, were also mentioned.
Lastly, the visit of Japan’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Komura Masahiro, scheduled for October this year, was discussed.