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Press Release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on October 10th, 2024
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Government Resolution, presented by the Vice-Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister for Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, and the Executive Director of the Mission Unit for Combating Stunting, Joel Maria Pereira, which approves the Annual National Multisectoral Plan to Combat Stunting for the period 2024 to 2030.
The National Multisectoral Annual Plan to Combat Stunting for 2024 to 2030 aims to provide a framework for coordinated, multisectoral action to combat stunting. The main goals include increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding, improving children’s diets, and reducing the stunting rate from 47 percent to less than 25 percent by 2030. The plan also aims to reduce anaemia rates in children and women of reproductive age, improve the coordination of nutrition programmes, and promote changes in social behaviour to improve nutritional health.
The Mission Unit for Combating Stunting will lead the plan’s implementation in collaboration with various ministries and development partners. The process will be continuously monitored to ensure its effectiveness. It aims to establish a sustainable and resilient environment that promotes improved nutrition and the well-being of the Timorese population.
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Vice Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino also presented the draft Decree-Law on the Community Housing Programme, which was also approved.
The programme aims to ensure the right to housing as a condition for the integrated and sustainable development of the community through the planning and construction of houses and their complementary collective infrastructure and equipment, to be allocated to beneficiaries following the established criteria, as well as subsequent ongoing community support for maintenance and access to services. The programme’s implementation will be led by the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing in coordination with local administrations and with the active participation of communities. Housing will be allocated to beneficiaries according to their financial capacity and will fall under one of the following regimes: commercial, subsidised, community or social. Under the commercial scheme, the beneficiary pays a consideration defined by market conditions. In the subsidised scheme, the amount to be paid is adjusted to make it more affordable regarding market conditions. In the community scheme, the house is allocated free of charge in the initial phase, with an amount payable after this period. In the social scheme, housing is allocated free of charge.
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The Council of Ministers analysed the preliminary report on the expenses of the activities related to His Holiness Pope Francis’s visit, presented by the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral.
At its meeting on February 28th, 2024, the Council of Ministers authorised expenditure of up to US$12 million for the Coordinating Committee for the Organisation of the Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, which took place from September 9th to 11th, 2024. Of this amount, US$9,978,658.12 was spent, resulting in a positive balance of US$2,021,341.12, which will be returned to the State Treasury.
The Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET), through the Church Coordinating Commission team, will hold an internal evaluation meeting on November 23rd, 2024. The Joint Commission, comprised of the Government, the Church team, and the Holy See representative in Timor-Leste, will conclude its activities on December 21st, 2024, when the Holy See representative and the local Church will transmit an official message from the Vatican.
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Lastly, the Council of Ministers also decided to approve the theme “Proud of our identity and culture, we build a future of freedom, justice and hope for our People” for the celebrations of the 49th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, which be held on November 28th and whose main celebrations will take place in Oe-Cússe Ambeno. END