“The Government of Timor-Leste intends to continue to support the Government and the people of Guinea-Bissau, a member of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), in order to end the problems that this country currently faces”. This was a statement presented by the Vice Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Fernando La Sama de Araújo, during the bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, Rui Duarte Barros, on the 4th of November in Macau, China.

Fernando La Sama De Araujo led the delegation from Timor-Leste at the Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation, held between the Portuguese Speaking Countries and China.

The Vice Prime Minister La Sama, stressed that “the State and the people of Timor- Leste have a profound sense of solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau. They both have a similar struggle experience. The State and the Government of Timor-Leste are still trying, in various ways, to help Guiné-Bissau”.

The Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, Rui Duarte Barros, on behalf of the Guinean people, thanked the State and the people of Timor-Leste, for the support that is being provided, especially in the registration process for voting in the general elections that are planned to take place in March 2014. Rui Duarte Barros said that he hoped that, in the future, the collaboration from Timor-Leste might be extended to other areas, including safety.