DILI, 15 february, 2021 (TATOLI) – The Director-General for Association and Cooperation Affairs (MNEC), Milena Rangel, said The Socio-Cultural and Economic (SCE) pillars from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will shortly conduct their fact-finding mission to Dili, Timor-Leste with the purpose to observing and evaluating the final results as part of the assessment of Timor-Leste’s readiness to become a member of ASEAN.
“Timor-Leste and an ASEAN team held a virtual meeting last year. Even so, the association’s team of experts intends to visit Timor-Leste in order to directly observe the work on the preparations of every ministry, according to the result of the previous meeting, namely with regard to the progress shown by each ministry in the economic areas. and sociocultural”, said Milena Rangel, to Agência TATOLI, at her workplace, in Praia dos Coqueiros.
According to Ms Rangel there is no specific date for The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) to be travelled to Timor-Leste due to the health crisis and various restrictions imposed by most countries, particularly in regards to restriction on mobility and the closure of borders.
It is recalled that two virtual meetings between Timor-Leste and the ASEAN AEC and ASCC to led the team’s assessment for both pillars, took place last year, more specifically on September 26 and in mid-October.
Journalist: Domingos Piedade Freitas
Editor: Zezito Silva