Prime Minister and Members of the Government Attend the Opening of the Fourth Legislative Session of the Sixth Legislature
On September 15th, 2026, the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, and members of the 9th Constitutional Government attended the Solemn Opening Session of the Fourth Legislative Session of the Sixth Legislature at the National Parliament in Dili, chaired by the President of the National Parliament, Maria Fernanda Lay, and featuring a message from the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta.
The ceremony began with the entry of the President of the Republic and the President of the National Parliament into the Plenary Hall, followed by the national anthem and a minute's silence in honour of the heroes who fell for the Homeland.
Following the opening statement of the Plenary Session, addresses were delivered by representatives of the parliamentary benches of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), the Democratic Party (PD), FRETILIN, KHUNTO, and the People’s Liberation Party (PLP). The President of the National Parliament then addressed the Plenary before the message from the Head of State.
In his address, the President of the Republic reviewed the nation’s trajectory and addressed the challenges for the coming years, covering the economy, human development, the quality of institutions, defence and security, foreign relations, regional integration, youth, and sustainable development.
José Ramos-Horta also highlighted several achievements of the 9th Constitutional Government and congratulated the Prime Minister “for his wise leadership of the 9th Constitutional Government”. The Head of State emphasised “the success of his efforts to join the WTO and ASEAN”, “the significant progress achieved in the Greater Sunrise negotiations”, and advances in negotiations on the land and maritime borders with Indonesia.
Timor-Leste’s full membership of ASEAN was formalised on October 26th, 2025, with the country’s entry as the 11th member state. In his message, the President of the Republic noted that this integration, together with accession to the World Trade Organization, marked a new phase in Timor-Leste’s regional and international standing.
The President of the Republic also highlighted the Government’s actions in the legal dispute involving the Australian company Lighthouse Corporation over events that occurred between 2010 and 2011. José Ramos-Horta commended “the Government’s courage in exposing the Supreme Fraud involved in the dispute opposing the State, through the company EDTL, and the Australian company Lighthouse Corporation”, noting that the case was recently dismissed by the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia. According to the Head of State, the case involved claims based on an alleged contract without legal force for the supply of fuel and generators, with compensation totalling US$ 600 million.
On the economic front, the Head of State noted that the non-oil economy grew by 4.6% in 2025 and by 5% in the reference period of April 2026. He also noted that credit to the private sector increased by 14.1% in 2025, reaching approximately US$ 724.4 million, against a backdrop of year-on-year inflation of 0.5%.
José Ramos-Horta further underscored Timor-Leste’s international profile, stating: “I also praise the fact that, under the leadership [of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão], the City of Dili and Timor-Leste have served as a ‘Venue for International Meetings and Understandings’”. In this context, he mentioned the recent Regional Conference of the World Health Organization, the CPLP Ministerial Meeting, and the International Summit on Technology and Development.
In the final part of his message, the President of the Republic set 2030 as the horizon for consolidating national development, grounded in democracy and the rule of law, peace and sovereignty, education and knowledge, economic diversification, regional integration, accountable institutions, social inclusion and justice, and the empowerment of youth.
The Solemn Session concluded with the President of the National Parliament closing the proceedings, marking the start of the Fourth Legislative Session of the Sixth Legislature.
