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Press Release
Meeting of the Council of Ministers on February 4th 2026
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft National Parliament Resolution Proposal presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel. The proposal aims to approve Timor-Leste’s accession to the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption.
The ASEAN Visa Exemption Framework Agreement, signed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 25, 2006, establishes a framework to facilitate travel within the region by exempting citizens of Member States from visa requirements for stays of up to 14 days. This measure aims to promote regional mobility, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and the strengthening of relations among the region’s peoples. The Agreement also provides that each Member State may grant visa exemptions for periods longer than 14 days, in accordance with its national legislation and/or bilateral agreements, thereby ensuring flexibility in defining its migration policies.
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The draft Law Proposal presented by the Minister of Justice, Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, on the Civil Registry Code, was also approved.
This law aims to establish a detailed, dynamic, and secure civil registration system to ensure the registration and preservation of all legally relevant facts and acts that mark the course of people’s lives, from birth to death. While the Civil Code sets out the rights and duties of individuals in their family, property, and social relationships, the Civil Registry Code complements this regime by defining the rules and procedures for the official registration of these facts with the State. The law clarifies competences and deadlines, improves procedures, and promotes the modernisation of services, with the aim of strengthening legal certainty, facilitating citizens’ access to civil registration, and making processes simpler, more efficient, and faster.
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The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Decree-Law, also presented by Minister Sérgio Hornai, for the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 19/2012, of April 25th, which approves the Statute of the Judicial Officers.
This law aims to bring the Statute of Judicial Officers into line with the reforms currently underway in the justice sector, namely the new judicial organisation and the statutes of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office, by clarifying competencies, strengthening the role of judicial officers in supporting magistrates and public defenders, and updating the respective staff framework.
The amendment also introduces more rigorous academic qualification requirements for entry into the profession, reinforces continuing education, improves the remuneration system, and updates certain rights and benefits, with the aim of enhancing efficiency, quality, and the public perception of the administration of justice in Timor-Leste.
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The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Government Resolution, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, establishing the National Council for the Organisation of the ASEAN Chairmanship of Timor-Leste in 2029.
The National Council is the central inter-ministerial coordination body responsible for strategic guidance, planning, monitoring, and supervision of preparatory work and the implementation of the ASEAN Chairmanship, ensuring effective coordination among the relevant government entities, ASEAN mechanisms, and national and international partners.
The resolution establishes a three-tier governance structure comprising the National Council, its Executive Committee, and the ASEAN National Secretariat as a permanent operational coordination mechanism. The Executive Committee, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, as appointed by the Prime Minister, is responsible for the operational management and implementation of the National Council’s decisions.
To ensure effective strategic coordination, five Sector Coordinators are also planned, who report to the Executive Committee and assume responsibility for infrastructure and facilities, human resources and institutional capacity building, security and public order, diplomacy and communication, and finance and operations, under the leadership of the respective competent ministries.
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The Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus Soares, to approve the Curriculum of the National Program for Secondary Education Equivalency.
This diploma establishes the curriculum framework for the programme, aimed at young people and adults who did not complete secondary education at the appropriate age, providing an alternative route to formal schooling with formal equivalence to this level of education. The curriculum adopts a flexible and inclusive approach, tailored to the specificities of youth and adult education, and defines the organisation of training areas, teaching methodologies, assessment systems, and certification conditions. This measure aims to strengthen access to lifelong learning, promote educational, social, and professional inclusion, and contribute to improving the qualifications of the population.
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The Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, also gave a presentation to the Council of Ministers on Timor-Leste’s participation in the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting, held on January 27th and 28th, 2026, and the ASEAN Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting, which took place on January 29th, 2026, in Cebu, Philippines.
The presentation focused on the key discussions and decisions adopted, as well as on subsequent measures relevant to Timor-Leste in the context of the process of full integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including institutional and operational preparations, the national framework for the organisation’s rotating presidency, scheduled for 2029, and the status of implementation of the Roadmap for Full Membership.
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Lastly, the Council of Ministers approved a US$5 million donation to the Portuguese Republic following the passage of Tropical Storm Kristin through Portuguese territory, which left a trail of destruction across several regions of the country, mainly in the central area.
Extreme weather events have caused fatalities, displacement, extensive damage to homes, public infrastructure, and community facilities, as well as disruptions to energy supplies, transport, and other essential services. This financial support is intended to support immediate response, recovery, and reconstruction efforts in the most affected areas. END