The Minister of Transport and Communications, Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, led the Timor-Leste delegation that participated in the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25) of the International Telecommunication Union, held in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, between August 31 and September 2. 
The meeting brought together regulators, policymakers, and representatives from the digital sector from around the world to discuss the topic of “Regulation for sustainable digital development,” providing a global platform for knowledge sharing and international cooperation.
In the High-Level Segment of the symposium, Minister Manetelu presented the national digital strategy, based on two pillars: achieving universal connectivity through public investment in essential infrastructure and promoting competition in local access network services, while driving digital transformation in the e-government, health, education, agriculture, and digital economy sectors. “Our interventions in Riyadh underscore a fundamental principle: digital inclusion is not just about building networks—it is about building futures,” said the Minister. “By establishing strategic partnerships and embracing innovation, we are ensuring that even the smallest nations can dream big and that no citizen is left behind in the digital age.” 
On the sidelines of the symposium, the Timorese delegation held bilateral meetings with partner countries. At the meeting with the Minister of Communications, Information, and Technology of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Alswaha, the two sides agreed to set up a technical team to develop practical cooperation projects in the areas of transport digitization, e-government, digital education, and telemedicine. Minister Manetelu emphasized the importance of strengthening Timorese human capital through training, exchange programs, and technical seminars, and the possibility of formalizing this new partnership framework through a Memorandum of Understanding was discussed. “The physical distance between our countries is no longer an obstacle to collaboration. With the technologies we have, we only need motivation and willingness to transform our discussion into results that help our people,” he said.
The Timorese delegation also held talks with representatives of the People’s Republic of China, during which Timor-Leste confirmed its support for China’s bid to host the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference in 2026 (WRC26) in Shanghai, reinforcing its commitment to multilateral cooperation within the organization.
