The Vice-Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister for Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, met with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Timor-Leste, Funmi Balogun, to discuss the UN’s support for the transformation of the food security system in the country, as well as the new cooperation framework between the Government of Timor-Leste and the UN. The meeting took place at the Government Palace on September 17th, 2024.
During the meeting, Funmi Balogun congratulated the Timorese government on the successful organization of two recent events of great international importance: the apostolic visit of His Holiness Pope Francis and the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres as part of the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the Popular Consultation. 
The meeting presented the progress made in implementing the current cooperation framework between the UN and Timor-Leste and discussed the preparation of the new cooperation framework for sustainable development, to be implemented between 2025 and 2030. This new framework will focus on four priority areas: basic infrastructure, economic development, social capital and strengthening institutional services, in line with the priorities defined by the Government of Timor-Leste.
One of the central points of the meeting was the government’s program to transform the food security system, in which the UN expressed its willingness to collaborate with the government, supporting the creation of mechanisms to ensure greater resilience and sustainability in the food sector, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.