The Government, through the Office of Support for Civil Society, represented by Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs Mariano Assanami Sabino, and the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET), represented by the Pro-President of the CET and Bishop of the Diocese of Maliana, Dom Norberto do Amaral, formally signed an annual grant agreement at a ceremony held on April 8^th, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili. 

The agreement provides for the allocation of a public grant totalling US$15 million for the 2026 fiscal year. The funding is intended to support activities in education (40%), social services (30%), church government (20%), and grant management (10%).

In his remarks, Bishop Norberto do Amaral stated that “this annual event is not merely an administrative formality; it is a living symbol of a strategic partnership between the State and the Church, united by an unwavering commitment to the integral development of the Timorese people.” He also expressed the hope that “this instrument of collaboration will strengthen the relationship between the Church and the State, based on working for the common good”, and noted that the goal “is to form citizens of integrity and future leaders capable of transforming our society.”

This agreement is entered into pursuant to the Concordat signed on August 14^th, 2015, between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Holy See, which establishes the legal framework for bilateral relations between the two States, and the Framework Agreement signed on June 16^th, 2017, between the government and the CET. These agreements provide for an annual contribution, subject to the government’s financial availability, to support the Catholic Church’s social, educational, and ecclesiastical governance activities. The amount and terms of the grant are set annually by specific agreements between the Government and the Timorese Episcopal Conference.

The Vice Prime Minister noted that the Government’s support reflects its commitment to human and social development, with a particular focus on education and on the role of religious institutions in shaping citizens and future leaders.

Archbishop of Dili and President of CET, Virgílio Cardeal do Carmo da Silva; Bishop of Baucau and Secretary-General of CET, Leandro Maria Alves; Chargé d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Timor-Leste, Monsignor Marcel Smejkal; the Coordinator of the Civil Society Support Office, Joaquim Freitas; and other religious representatives and guests attended the ceremony.