DILI, 24 november 2021 (TATOLI) — Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, held a virtual meeting with Manuela V. Ferro, the newly appointed World Bank Regional Vice-President for East Asia and Pacific (EAP), to discuss the commitment of the World Bank to keep supporting the national development of the country.
“We talked about Food Insecurity, Nutrition, Post Pandemic Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan as well as a number of Government’s plan to reduce Timor-Leste’s dependency on the Petroleum Fund and increase government’s loan policy to ensure the sustainability of the petroleum fund,” Ruak said in a statement, on Wednesday.
Ruak thanked World Bank Regional Vice-President Manuela V. Ferro: “I invited him to visit and attend the International Seminar on Nutrition, in Dili, on January 2022. We need the support of the development partners.”
Regarding the Post Pandemic Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan, World Bank Regional Vice-President praised the Government’s Economic Recovery Policy, and its initiative to reduce Timor-Leste’s dependency on the petroleum fund.
“World Bank is always there to keep supporting Timor-Leste in all areas, particularly on food insecurity, and nutrition. We hope that Timor-Leste will use all kinds of support wisely to benefit Timorese people,” said Ferro.
Prime Minister Ruak congratulated Ferro for being appointed as the new Vice President of the World Bank.
From 2012 to 2019, the Government of Timor-Leste had signed loan agreements with World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), totaling US$457.51.
Of the US$457.5, the government had executed US$216.4 million.
Journalist: Antónia Gusmão
Editor: Julia Chatarina
Translation: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
