DILI, 02 june 2022 (TATOLI) – The United States through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Timor-Leste Ministry of Finance announced today a new three-year $10.2 million activity to help the Government of Timor-Leste institutionalize a well-governed and modern trade system that is professional, transparent, accountable, efficient, effective, responsive to the Timorese people, and compliant with international standards.
According to the statement released by the USAID, the Activity will also boost trade and economic growth, increase government revenue, increase regional and international integration, and strengthen good governance.
USAID Mission Director Zema Semunegus said The United States is committed to continuing to support Timor-Leste in implementing a well-governed and modern trade system.
“USAID values the great cooperation and collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Authority, including through the recently completed USAID Customs Reform Project, which delivered an estimated $38 million in savings for Timorese businesses through increased efficiencies. We look forward to continuing to work with Timor-Leste as it pursues the domestic reforms necessary to fully align its trade regime with World Trade Organization rules and liberalize trade.” Said Zema Semunegus.
At the request of the Government of Timor-Leste, USAID will work with the Ministry of Finance, Customs Authority, and other government agencies, as well as the private sector, to improve trade governance, trade facilitation, and customs processes.
The United States Government is providing $10.2 million under the USAID/Timor-Leste Trade Governance Activity to support Timor-Leste’s Customs Authority and other government agencies that are dealing with trade.
“The launch of this newly USAID’s Trade Governance Activity marks another great milestone for our Customs Authority,” said the Minister of Finance, H.E. Rui Augusto Gomes.
“This $10.2 million is indeed significant support and it is essential to enable our Customs Authority on its journey to becoming an independent, trustworthy and efficient organization, placing client-centered services in its core service delivery. We thank the United States of America and its people for their steadfast support. We look forward to deepening our partnership to achieve the longer-term goal of the Customs Authority – that is to “make trade faster, simpler, and fairer.”
So far the support will improve import and export processes to function following global best practices and standards found in the World Customs Organizations (WCO) Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention, the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration, and the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) membership requirements.
The program will promote more efficient and effective use of resources and establish and manage a fit-for-purpose structure that gives traders and the private sector a voice to ensure the government is transparent and responsive to the public. International Business Initiatives, a U.S-based woman-owned small business, will implement the activity.
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