DILI, 07 November 2019 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s Defence and Interior Minister, Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, has joined international counterparts at a major conference in Melbourne, Australia, aimed at tackling terrorism financing.
Mr Paixão said smaller countries such as Timor-Leste have been invited to the ‘No Money for Terror’ conference, after the first round of talks in Paris in April.
“[The conference] will bring countries together again to think about situation of the threat of terrorism… whether it’s declining, or slightly increased, and how.”
“This is why we need, why we must listen,” he said.
Australia’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Peter Roberts, invited Timor-Leste to join the conference earlier this week, but only as observers.
Mr Paixão said the conference is important as Timor-Leste such a new country, and lacks the experience in protecting its people from acts of terror.
Bilateral ministerial talks
The conference follows the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2462 on March 28 of this year, aimed at freezing terror networks out of the global financial system. And it builds on the so-called Paris Agenda discussed at a similar meeting in the French capital in April.
Minister Paixão is also expected to meet with Australia’s Home Affairs Minister on the sidelines of the conference tomorrow, TATOLI has confirmed. The pair will to discuss the work of Mr Dutton’s department — which encompasses the Australian Federal Police, border security forces and Immigration Department.
The ‘No Money for Terror’ conference concludes tomorrow.
First published in Tetum as: Ministru Filomeno Partisipa Semináriu Terrorizmu
Journalist: Eugénio Perreira; additional reporting by Robert Baird
Editor: Robert Baird
Translation: Nelia Borges
