Meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 30th, 2026

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

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Press Release

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 30th, 2026

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and, in accordance with the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forests, Marcos da Cruz, decided to authorise expenditure of approximately US$10.25 million for the construction contract for the Laueli irrigation project in the municipality of Ermera.

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At the proposal of the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, the Council of Ministers decided to authorise expenditure of US$41 million for the year 2026 to execute a Grant Agreement between the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and TIMOR GAP, EP.

The expenditure stems from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ budget allocation under Programme A17, which aims to “Develop Policies and Best Practices in the Industry to Ensure Maximum Participation of Timorese in the Sector’s Activities.”

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The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources also gave a presentation on the memorandum of understanding with the Government of Brunei Darussalam to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, which is due to be signed next week.

This agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two countries, focusing on knowledge sharing, technical capacity building, and the promotion of investment opportunities, particularly in the oil and gas sectors.

The planned cooperation includes training activities and the exchange of experiences, joint research, exploration, development, and production studies, as well as the exchange of best practices in energy policies. The agreement also allows for the development of other initiatives to be jointly defined by both parties.

Following the signing, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources will ensure the implementation of the memorandum’s provisions, in coordination with the relevant authorities and in accordance with applicable national law.

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Lastly, the Vice Minister for Health Institutional Strengthening, José dos Reis Magno, delivered a presentation on the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Brunei Darussalam on cooperation in the health sector, which is due to be signed next week.

The primary objective of this memorandum of understanding is to establish a framework for cooperation between the two countries, based on mutual respect and benefit, to strengthen health services and develop the sector.

Key areas of cooperation include health services, disease prevention and control, human resource development, and strengthening hospital infrastructure. Cooperation may include sharing information and expertise, exchanging specialists, providing technical training, organising seminars, and developing joint projects. END