The Chiefs of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the CPLP countries gathered at the Ministry of Defence and Security in Fatuhada, Dili on August 18, 2012.

In his speech, the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, said ” Today, Timor-Leste lives in peace and the institutions democratically elected, fully develop their activities and with full respect for the constitutional norms, as proved by the recent presidential and legislative elections, which, again, show the maturity and civility of the Timorese people”.

Xanana Gusmão stressed, “there is no peace without democracy, but it is also true that without development there is no democracy and therefore there is no peace. It is for that reason, that East Timor is engaged in implementing its Strategic Development Plan, which covers a period of over 20 years, in order to get out of the condition of an underdeveloped country with low-income to a middle-high income country in 2030, exploring all our potentials, human and material. “

The Prime Minister also added “we, the Timorese, we need to grow in thoughts, from analysis to planning, from preparation to the training of human resources at all levels of our armed forces, so that they can respond the current challenges we face” recalling also that the F – FDTL “are still in a growth phase and their training and capacity building is a priority in the policy of this Government. “

Major General Lere Anan Timur said that the Defence Forces of Timor-Leste are at an early stage of development and that this meeting will contribute to the development and the strengthening of the ties that bind us.

Participated in this meeting, the Chiefs of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the CPLP, the Ambassadors of Portugal and Brazil, the Representative of the Permanent Secretariat for Defence Affairs of the CPLP, the Director of the Centre for Strategic Analysis and members of the CPLP delegations.