The third and final day of the Timor-Leste and Development Partners Meeting (TLDPM) opened with discussions on the support sectors: infrastructure, banking and finance and social sectors (health and education), that were divided into three round tables.
Infrastructure was the topic led by the Minister for Infrastructure, Pedro Lay, and attended by representatives of the Asian Development Bank, the International Cooperation Agency of Japan, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mahein Foundation.
The Strategic Development Plan (SDP) was mentioned by all where it provides answers to important questions related to the infrastructure development namely: what, where, when and how.
Infrastructures were considered the key, at various levels, to a successful economic future by focusing on the importance of quality and maintenance projects that extend the duration of the project’s cycle be, reducing their cost in the long term,.
The current weakness of the infrastructure causes limitations, resulting in longer travel time, increases the cost of transport and loss of products, which severely limits profitability.
The development of infrastructure will give another confidence to investors. In addition, the parties involved in this discussion felt that, in the long run, the development of infrastructure outside the capital will bring more economic opportunities and contribute to the dissolution of economic disparities.
João Gonçalves, Minister of Economy and Development, was in charge of the roundtable table discussing banking and finance, attended by the ANZ Bank, the Banking and Payments Authority, and the International Finance Cooperation.
Also in these discussions there were many comments to the SDP, welcomed by all, as it aims to develop appropriate financial systems, develop human resources and improve policies to allow better access to microcredit and credit.
The discussion focused on the construction of a modern financial sector that supports the private sector and, in turn, would result in economic growth. The creation of the future National Development Bank, to meet the frequent requests for loans and financial services, could not fail to be mentioned by the Minister. Questions were raised regarding the guarantees for bank loans, the resistance to the use of normal banking services and technology, training human resources from banking institutions, increasing access to microfinance and the law in effect.
Finally, the social sectors (health and education) were the topic under discussion by Health Minister Nelson Martins and the Minister of Education, João Câncio Freitas, in conjunction with the United Nations Children Fund, with a Counseling Minister of Australia, the UNTL Rector and the President of the Civil Service Commission.
The debate focused on the quality of higher education of health professionals / midwives, Tetum and Portuguese as languages in schools, boarding schools for students from remote areas and the reintegration of students returning from abroad, the collaboration of the Ministry of Health and Ministry Education in relation to preventive health care, increased budgets for health and education, including Internet connection to schools and health centers, and treatment of the causes of malnutrition, including eating habits.
With the discussion of these three panels, along with the themes of the previous day, the most important recommendations were made for future actions. These recommendations focused on the formation of a consensus that sought to ensure harmony, alignment, coordination and integration in the implementation of the Strategic Development Plan.
The speech of the Prime Minister, (which you can read here), ended the Timor-Leste and Development Partners Meeting.