Meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 23rd 2025

Spokesperson of the Government of Timor-Leste

Ninth Constitutional Government

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Press Release 

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 23rd 2025

The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and decided to designate the Ministry of State Administration as the government department responsible for coordinating with the Timorese Episcopal Conference the organization of the ceremonies to honor His Holiness Pope Francis, representing the government, with a view to holding a dignified ceremony that represents the Timorese people's deep appreciation for the Holy Father.

The government also calls on the entire population, and particularly all civil servants, to gather daily in prayer from 5pm at the Monument to Our Lady (Nain Feto) in Lecidere during the period of national mourning, as a gesture of homage and recollection in memory of His Holiness Pope Francis.

It should be noted that public administration services will continue to operate normally during the period of national mourning, as it does not constitute a day off or a public holiday.

According to the draft presented by the Vice-Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, the Council of Ministers decided to approve the List of Reservations for Accession to the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) as part of the negotiation process for Timor-Leste's accession to ASEAN.

With the regional commitments required by ACIA, a treaty promotes the liberalization and protection of investment among ASEAN member states. By approving its Reservation List, Timor-Leste reaffirms its commitment to creating a stable and attractive environment for foreign investment, while ensuring that margins of flexibility are preserved to protect strategic sectors and support national development. The list identifies sectors where the state retains the right to impose restrictions or grant preferences to national investors, namely in subsistence agriculture, artisanal fishing, traditional manufacturing and mining, ensuring that adherence to the ACIA does not compromise the country's economic and social interests. END