The Minister of State Administration, Jorge da Conceição Teme, organized a coordination meeting with the Brazilian Ambassador in Timor-Leste, Edson Monteiro, in order to study a proposal to support Timor-Leste in the field of waste recycling. The meeting took place on 7 March 2013 at the Ministry of State Administration (MAE) in Dili.

The Minister of State Administration considers that Timor-Leste has to “learn from countries like Brazil, India and South Africa because these countries faced the same problems we are facing now. In so doing, we will not commit the same mistakes.” Mr. Jorge da Conceição Teme took advantage of the occasion to launch an appeal to the population residing in Dili, where the problem of the waste is more complex, “to be conscious that the waste problem is a problem that concerns all of us. All of us should fight the waste problem for the sake of our own well-being, so that we can have a healthy life in the city, because the capital city of a country reflects the image of its people. We have to educate our people to the effect that waste must be dealt with properly, packing it properly and placing it in appropriate places, because, where processed, waste also has an economic value.”

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Environment, António da Conceição, informed that “there was a debate on the proposal presented by the Brazilian Ambassador to support Timor-Leste in terms of waste processing. My Ministry, together with the Ministry of State Administration, will study the project which may probably count on the support of Brazil, India and South Africa for the establishment of a joint fund in support of waste recycling.”

After the meeting, the Brazilian Ambassador informed that “we have analyzed some ideas around the project and we believe that it may contribute towards a viable solution for the problem under review. This project does not only a Brazilian project. I am very grateful for being able to come here today to speak on behalf of Brazil, India and South Africa on the establishment of a fund to finance the project called IBA Fund – IBA sanding for India, Brazil and South Africa. This is a matter of interest not only to us, but also to Timor-Leste.”