The Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, and the Deputy Minister and of Parliamentary Affairs of Portugal, Miguel Relvas, signed, on Wednesday, August 29, at the Government Palace in Dili, a Cooperation Agreement for the Social Communication sector and four additional protocols.

The objective of this Agreement is to govern bilateral cooperation in the field of Media and, ultimately, contribute to the strengthening of the media’s independence and the responsible exercise of freedom of information, fulfilling one of the objectives of the V Constitutional Government Program.

This agreement follows the Social Communication Program 2012-2013, funded by the European Union under a cooperation delegated in Portugal, and the corresponding Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the Portuguese Institute for Development Support (IPAD), Office for the Social Communication Media (GMCS) and the Secretariat of State of the Council of Ministers (SECM), on June 6, 2012.

Concerning the media sector were also signed four protocols involving, in addition to the Governments of Timor-Leste and Portugal, the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL) and the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP), the Protocol Centre for Professional Training of Journalists, the LUSA – News Agency of Portugal and also the Radio and Television of Timor-Leste (RTTL) and Radio and Television of Portugal (RTP).

To read the Press Release from the Government Spokesperson, click here.