On June 24th, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Canberra, Australia, with the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, to institutionalise the Senior Officials’ Dialogue between the two countries, as part of efforts to strengthen the implementation of the “New Partnership for a New Era,” launched by the Prime Ministers of Timor-Leste and Australia in January of this year. 
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a permanent mechanism for dialogue between senior officials of both countries, with annual meetings to monitor the implementation of the Joint Action Plan for the bilateral partnership. The aim is to strengthen institutional cooperation and deliver concrete results in the political, economic, and security spheres, as well as in people-to-people relations.
Following the signing ceremony, Ministers Bendito dos Santos Freitas and Penny Wong held a bilateral meeting at a working breakfast, during which they reviewed progress in implementing the “New Partnership for a New Era,” discussed the priorities of the Joint Action Plan, and explored new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN, economic development, labour mobility, education, regional security, and sustainable development.
On the same day, the Minister also met with Australia’s Minister for International Development, Anne Aly, to assess the status of the strategic partnership’s implementation and identify priorities for implementing the initiatives outlined in the Joint Action Plan.
During the meeting, Bendito dos Santos Freitas expressed his gratitude for Australia’s continued support for Timor-Leste’s development and emphasised the importance of cooperation in private-sector development, human capital development, labour mobility, and Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN, including preparations for Timor-Leste’s chairmanship of the organisation in 2029.
The two ministers also highlighted how labour mobility programmes contribute to the creation of employment opportunities and skills development. They discussed measures to strengthen English-language training, pre-departure preparation, and the protection of Timorese workers. The meeting also addressed opportunities to deepen cooperation in the agricultural sector, particularly in coffee production, through research, value chain development, and increased productivity.
Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Australia, Inês Almeida, also attended the meetings.