The Vice Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and Minister Coordinator for the Economy, Tourism and Environment, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, participated in the opening of the seminar Doing Business with Malaysia, which takes place in Dili from November 18th to 20th , as part of the Export Acceleration Mission to Timor-Leste promoted by the Embassy of Malaysia and the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation(MATRADE). The mission, which runs until November 21st, brings together 19 Malaysian companies from various sectors with the aim of identifying trade and investment opportunities between Timor-Leste and Malaysia, in a context marked by Timor-Leste’s recent full integration into ASEAN. 
In his speech, the Vice Prime Minister highlighted the significance of Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN, formalized on October 26th, 2025, emphasizing that this historic milestone opens new opportunities in regional trade, investment and economic integration. He also referred to the role played by Malaysia during its presidency of the organization, acknowledging the commitment shown to bringing this process to fruition. 
The seminar presented companies from both countries with a range of opportunities for involvement in various sectors, such as oil and gas, food and beverages, information and communication technologies, construction, professional services, education, technical training and biotechnology. The program included a product presentation session; individual business meetings and an exhibition designed to facilitate contacts and identify areas of common interest. 
Francisco Kalbuadi Lay pointed out that, as a full member of ASEAN, Timor-Leste now benefits from broader markets, harmonized standards and better logistical conditions, emphasizing the relevance of these advantages in its economic relationship with Malaysia. He also mentioned the growing interest of foreign investors in areas such as infrastructure, renewable energy and ecotourism. 
The Vice Prime Minister stated that the Government is available to support companies interested in exploring opportunities in the country, through direct contact with his office or with TradeInvest, to facilitate processes and ensure adequate conditions for the development of business initiatives.
The seminar also featured a speech by the Ambassador of Malaysia to Timor-Leste, Amarjit Sarjit Singh, who highlighted the increasingly favorable business environment, referring to recent measures such as direct flights between Dili and Kuala Lumpur and the visa exemption scheme for Malaysian citizens. Priority areas were also identified, including energy, digitalization, agriculture and food security, infrastructure, technical education and logistics. 
The organization emphasized that the participation of the 19 Malaysian companies aims to initiate a deeper phase of economic relations between the two countries, with the goal of identifying concrete projects and strengthening bilateral trade. The presence of representatives from the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry and around 50 national companies contributed to broadening the dialogue between the private sectors of Timor-Leste and Malaysia. END 