On July 18th, 2025, in Darwin, the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia’s Northern Territory signed an Action Plan for Cooperation on Health, under the 2023-2027 Strategic Partnership Agreement. The document was signed by the Minister of Health of Timor-Leste, Elia A.A. dos Reis Amaral, and the Minister of Health of the Northern Territory, Steve Edgington, aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation through the exchange of expertise, training programs, clinical internships, and joint projects. The Minister for National Liberation Combatants Affairs, Gil da Costa Monteiro “Oan Soru,” also witnessed the signing of this Action Plan. 
Minister Elia Amaral emphasized the importance of this new cooperation instrument, stating that “this Action Plan is a concrete step towards strengthening the historical ties between our peoples. It reflects our joint aspiration to improve access to high-quality health services, promote medical exchange and training, and ensure that critically ill Timorese patients can receive the specialized care they need in a timely and coordinated manner.” 
The Northern Territory Minister for Health highlighted that “this Action Plan builds on the long-standing friendship between the Northern Territory and Timor-Leste and reinforces our shared goal of strengthening health systems in the region.” For Steve Edgington, the initiative will allow “both jurisdictions to benefit from the improved capacity, cultural insights, and clinical expertise of their respective health workforces.” 
Also present at the ceremony, Northern Territory Minister for Trade, Business, and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill said, “This agreement reflects the Northern Territory’s commitment to strengthening regional partnerships through practical and sustained cooperation.” “This is a win-win approach,” she said, “with both governments investing in long-term partnerships to strengthen health systems, develop workforce capacity, and improve cross-border service delivery.” 
The Action Plan defines a set of joint initiatives aimed at promoting the long-term development of the workforce, including internships and exchanges in the public sector, joint training initiatives and professional development activities, specialized training in areas such as medicine, hematology, and intensive care, as well as postgraduate clinical internships.
The signing of this document marks a new chapter in the partnership between Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory, strengthening regional cooperation in the health sector and contributing to the construction of more robust and integrated systems, for the benefit of the populations of both parties. END