Government of Timor-Leste

The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, received today, June 26^th, 2025, at the Government Palace, the Director of the World Bank for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Carrie Turk, and the Representative of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Timor-Leste, David Freedman, to discuss the government's priorities in the process of defining a new Partnership Framework with the World Bank. 

Carrie Turk said that the World Bank has begun the process of drawing up a new Partnership Framework with Timor-Leste, which will succeed in the 2020-2024 program and will guide future cooperation between the institution and the country. She stressed that this new stage requires a process of consultation with the government, with the aim of ensuring that the projects reflect national priorities.

Minister Agio Pereira thanked the World Bank for its support, especially in the areas of public financial management and institutional strengthening and reaffirmed the government's commitment to continuing to deepen this partnership. Among the national priorities, he highlighted the expansion and modernization of the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport, as well as the development of the South Coast and the Greater Sunrise project, which are considered strategic axes for the country's economic growth. 

In the agricultural sector, the Minister addressed the importance of increasing productivity and adopting measures to help reduce rice costs. He also expressed interest in maintaining collaboration with the World Bank in areas aligned with the Program of the 9th Constitutional Government, ensuring that projects produce results with a direct and positive impact on communities.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on the process of Timor-Leste's full membership of ASEAN, with emphasis on the need for investment in national infrastructure, as set out in the accession roadmap.

Both parties recognized the importance of maintaining and strengthening this collaboration. Carrie Turk reiterated the World Bank's willingness to support relevant projects aligned with the Government's priorities, while Minister Agio Pereira reaffirmed the Executive's commitment to continue sharing strategic information and identifying priority areas for financing and technical assistance, with a view to concluding the new Partnership Framework. END