Indonesia-Timor Leste Bilateral Talks Aim to Strengthen Partnership on Development Planning and Infrastructure

The Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas held a bilateral meeting with the Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment of Timor-Leste on Wednesday (18/9). 

The meeting, attended by Indonesia’s Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Suharso Monoarfa, and Timor-Leste’s Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment, Gastão Francisco de Sousa, aimed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in development planning and infrastructure. The meeting also emphasized the importance of integrating national and regional planning as a foundation for achieving long-term development goals and sustainable development targets. 

“This cooperation covers many aspects, including infrastructure, investment, and encouraging Indonesian investors to invest in Timor-Leste. We are also committed to sharing our experiences so that Timor-Leste does not repeat Indonesia’s past mistakes, particularly in infrastructure and environmental protection,” stated Minister Suharso.

The bilateral meeting also explored potential future cooperation in various sectors, including sustainable infrastructure development. Indonesia and Timor-Leste are committed to strengthening cooperation in basic infrastructure development, including housing, sanitation, and clean water, as well as improving connectivity through the construction of roads, ports, and airports. Additionally, the cooperation will focus on disaster mitigation and climate change. Indonesia has implemented an integrated approach to infrastructure management, involving the private sector in financing infrastructure projects. Through this cooperation framework, both countries are expected to identify specific infrastructure projects to be executed on a Business-to-Business (B2B) basis.

To enhance human resource capacity, the two countries discussed opportunities for cooperation in technical and vocational education. Indonesia is ready to provide support through training and capacity-building programs for Timor-Leste officials. This cooperation includes master's and doctoral education, internships, and assistance in developing Timor-Leste’s development planning documents. As a follow-up to this meeting, both parties plan to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize cooperation between Indonesia and Timor-Leste in infrastructure development, education, and development planning. This MoU is expected to open up greater opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in the future. With increasingly strong bilateral relations, Indonesia and Timor-Leste are ready to move forward together to achieve sustainable and inclusive development goals.

“In addition, we want to address climate change, which is a global concern. Indonesia cannot tackle this alone, nor can other countries. We have spoken with Pacific nations who have agreed to cooperate in addressing climate change,” concluded Minister Suharso.