The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Ministry of Finance, will organize an International Conference on the Post-2015 Development Agenda under the theme “Development for All: Stop Conflict, Build states and Eradicate Poverty”.

“The Conference will take place from 26 to 28 February 2013 at the Dili Coonventions Centre”, the Deputy Prime Minister, Fernando La Sama de Araújo, announced during a press conference held on 21 February at the Ministry of Finance.

Fernando La Sama de Araújo stated that “in 2000, the leaders of 189 nations met in New York to sign the Millennium Declaration the main objectives of which were: to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty; to achieve universal primary education; to promote gender equality and empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to ensure environmental sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for development. Reality shows that fragile and post-conflict States have not been able to achieve of the Millennium Development Goals due to the continued persistence of major challenges. The fact that there are still many countries in the world which were unable to achieve the proposed objectives led the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, to establish a High-Level Panel”.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stated that the “Dili Consensus”, actually the main outcome of this International Conference, is intended to disseminate and influence the report of the High-Level Panel, thereby contributing to the post-2015 Development Agenda.”

“Forty-five (45) Nations will be participating in this conference, with approximately 200 participants. They include high-level entities, notably the President of the Republic of Kiribati, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, and the g7+ Ministers and those from the Pacific region”, Mr. Fernando La Sama de Araújo added.

In concluding, the Deputy Prime Minister called upon the population of Timor-Leste, particularly the residents of Dili, to welcome the guests in an atmosphere of peace, discipline, stability, tranquility and good hospitality as is usual with the Timorese whenever we receive visits.

Also present at the press conference were the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Constâncio da Conceição Pinto; the Minister of Tourism, Francisco Kalbuadi Lay; the Deputy Minister of Finance, Santina Cardodo; and the Secretary of State for the Media, Nélio Isaac Sarmento.