DILI, 11 October 2019 (TATOLI) – A major source of TL government financing has announced it will begin treating Timor-Leste as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as the young country continues efforts to join the bloc.
Representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) met with Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak at his office in Dili today for high-level talks about its ongoing financing.
“Assistance from ADB for Timor-Leste is [currently] organized within the group of Pacific Regional countries, and from now, the ADB assistance [for TL] will be organized together with the nations of ASEAN,” ADB’s ASEAN region Director-General, Ramesh Subramaniam said.
Mr Subramaniam said the news received a warm reception from the Prime Minister, because the changes could see Timor-Leste join ASEAN more quickly.
“The Prime Minister said he is very pleased with the news, because the changes ADB has made also brings Timor-Leste [closer] to achieve its proposal to be part of ASEAN,” he added.
Financial aid from ADB focuses largely on road construction. But the Prime Minister told the visiting delegation he wants more ADB financing to improve sanitation and irrigation, especially to help boost technical capacity.
“This week, we come with a big team, including directors responsible for every sector [so] we can meet with different ministries and make visits to all the projects in the districts. After that, will discuss…how to strengthen the collaborations,” Director-General Subramaniam said.
“ADB’s programs normally last for three years, and we’ve almost finalized the plan for the [next] three-year cycle. We are ready to give the assistance. In the past, we have provided technical assistance to prepare an investment project [plan]. Now, some projects are complete; thus the ADB is ready to provide [more] financial resources.”
He said the ADB would take note of the PM’s request today for irrigation and sanitation funding when the bank finalizes its strategy for the next three-year cycle.
First published in Tetum as: PM Taur Hato’o Pontu Importante Rua ba ADB
Related news: PM to ADB: focus on Education, Sanitation
Journalist: Hortençio Sanchez
Editors: Xisto Freitas; Robert Baird
Translation: Nelia Borges
