Secretary of State for Cooperatives Coordinates with ASEAN Representatives on Preparations for Regional Conference in Dili
The Secretary of State for Cooperatives, Arsénio Pereira da Silva, met on September 15th, 2026, at the Palm Spring Hotel in Dili with Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of ASEAN Member States accredited to Timor-Leste to discuss preparations for the Dili Regional Conference on Ministerial Dialogue on Cooperatives (DRCCMD), scheduled for early October in the Timorese capital.
The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of conference preparations and the participation of government representatives responsible for the cooperative sector in ASEAN countries. Indonesia and Malaysia have already confirmed their participation, while discussions are ongoing with the remaining Member States to finalise their confirmations.
The meeting was organised by the Ambassador of Malaysia to Timor-Leste, Fairuz Rozali, and attended by the Ambassadors of Cambodia, Chun Sovannarith; the Philippines, Mary Anne A. Padua; and Singapore, Teo Lay Cheng; the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Indonesia, Raden Sakunto Paksi; the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Vietnam, Ngoc Anh Nguyen; and the Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam, Khairur Rizal ADB Majid.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, along with officials and advisors from the Secretariat of State for Cooperatives, also attended the meeting.
The DRCCMD is expected to bring together government officials and sector representatives to promote the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and best practices in cooperative development and to examine opportunities for regional cooperation in this field.
The Secretariat of State for Cooperatives is continuing its coordination with representations of ASEAN Member States to finalise preparations and the participation of delegations at the conference.
