DILI, 23 june 2022 (TATOLI)- Timor-Leste is an island nation situated in Southeast Asia between Indonesia and Australia. Due to the lack of human resources quality, the nation still found it difficult to develop its abundant natural resources. To ensure human capital development in the country to promote economic growth, Timor-Leste has established bilateral relations with other countries, including development partners and international NGOs through numerous agreements.
In an interview with TATOLI’s reporters, The Program Director of National Authorizing Service (NAO) Gregório Ferreira da Silva has provided the details about the support that Timor-Leste has received so far from the EU in the past 20 years.
TATOLI: In the past two decades, what support has the European Union provided to Timor-Leste?
da Silva: After Timor-Leste became independent in 2022, the Government of Timor-Leste was looking to adopt an international treaty that could benefit Timor-Leste, and at that time, the first agreement was the Cotonou agreement. The Cotonou agreement was approved on 15 May 2002 by the Government and ratified by the National Parliament on November 15, 2005, with the Decree No;26/2008 and promulgated by
the President of the Republic, on December 12, 2008.Under the agreement, the 9th European Development Fund (9th EDF) with a total of 18 million Euros awarded to Timor-Leste, while of
the total 18 million Euros, 60% was dedicated to Sustainable Rural Development and 40% to Institutional Development and Capacity Building. While the financial allocation for the next period of 10th EDF and 11th EDF were determined following a mid-term review of the 9th EDF program implementation.
TATOLI: How are the communication and cooperation between the European Union and the Government of Timor-Leste in the implementation of the projects?
da Silva: Communication and cooperation between the two sides have been effective so far. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste through the National Authorizing Officer (NAO) and the European Union have been working together to control and monitor the implementation of the projects in Timor-Leste.
TATOLI: How are the implementation and supervision of financial support and activities by the European Union?
da Silva: Under the Cotonou Agreement, the EU has provided the 9th European Development Fund (9th EDF) to support Timor-Leste in sustainable Rural Development including agriculture, Health, Infrastructure, Institutional Development, and Capacity
Building as a continuation of the agreement, In 2008-2014 EU provided the 10th European Development Fund (10th EDF) with total funding of 63 million Euros. of the 63 million Euros, 60% is dedicated to sustainable Rural Development including agriculture, Health, and Infrastructure while 40% is for the Institutional Development and Capacity Building. All these programs are supervised by the NAO and EU.
TATOLI: What is the detailed budget provided by the EU bycategory of implementation?
da Silva: Currently, the EU continues to support Timor-Leste under the National Indicative Program (NIP) of 2014 to 2022 under the 11th EDF.
In the 11th EDF, the EU provided 95 million Euros of the total budget, where 60% was allocated for Rural road construction, Agriculture, forestry, and nutrition improvement and 40% was for Good Governance.
The vocal sector under NIP 2014-2022, includes two main sectors, Good Governance, and Rural Development which is composed of several sub-sectors including direct budget support, capacity building for oversight, Agroforestry institutions, rural roads, nutrition, and decentralization.
This support reflects the EU’s trust in the Government system under the principles of Country Own, Country lead, and use of Country System.
Detailed categories;
Rural Development
EU provided 42 million Euros for the Rural Development, of which 13 million Euros were allocated for the Agroforestry program implemented by GIZ in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), with the aim of the market development, competitiveness, and climate-resilient and agroforestry systems. This project was implemented in Baucau, Manatuto, Lautem, and Viqueque.
Recent reports from the project showed that about 3.8 a million trees were planted with a survival rate of around 60%. 16 East Timorese students pursuing postgraduate studies in Bogor Indonesia specializing in forestry, half of whom have completed and the rest will complete at the end of the year.
The EU is also supporting the Bambo Institute of Tibar in the creation of a new pre-processing and nursery center for Bambo. In addition, the EU also provided a 12 million Euro for the implementation of a rural road project by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in partnership with the Ministry of Public Works (MPW). The project focus on improving the capacity building for local contractors and rehabilitation of 90 km of roads connecting to agroforestry areas. Having completed around 100 Km of rural roads in four Municipalities, Baucau, Manatuto Viqueque, and Lautem. These roads connected productive areas with markets and enabled farmers to reach the markets.
Nutrition
EU allocated 15 million euros for two components, including 10 million euros allocated for budgetary support for the Ministry of Health, and 5 million euros for UNICEF. The purpose of this support is to contribute to reducing the number of malnutrition among women and children.
Good governance
The EU allocates 30 million Euros focused on good governance, out of a total budget, 17 million Euros goes to Public Financial Management in municipalities aimed at strengthening institutional development, improving the financial system including legal and regulatory frameworks, as well as capacity building.
While in the monitoring component, the EU provided 12 million Euros for the projects implemented by CAMOES IP – the projects aim to enhance the checks and balances capacity of state and non-state actors to be able to fully play their role in reviewing and monitoring policies and actively participating in the policy-making process as well as providing regular oversight, monitoring service, control of the delivery of Government Services, Mainly with the national Parliament, Office of the Inspector General, Chamber of Accountants, Commission of Anti-Corruption, PCIC, Media, and Civil Society organizations.
Cooperation Support Facilities
EU provided 8 million Euros to support the activities of NAO. While 15 Euros for the Decentralization Programme, with two components including Direct Budgeted support amounting to 1.250 million Euros and a second component implemented by UNDP with the total of 3.250 million Euros to support the Ministry of State Administration in the implementation of the Decentralization development process in Timor-Leste, The Institutional policy and legal framework.
TATOLI: How will EU supports benefit the People of Timor-Leste?
da Silva: The Support from the EU has benefited many people in Timor-Leste, especially in rural areas. Thousands of people have been directly involved in the construction of rural roads, they cooperate with companies to build and rehabilitate rural roads, and with the construction of rural roads, many people can access markets, schools, health posts, Churches, and other important places.
With support from the EU, 3.8 million trees have been planted, and the benefit of planting more trees is reducing Carbon Co2 and producing more oxygen Other support is related to nutrition.
TATOLI: What are the challenges facing NAO during the project implementation and what are the solutions for the problems.?
da Silva: The challenges are mostly we have miscommunication with land compensation or rural communities at the same time the involvement of local communities in rural road construction works is also one of the common problems facing Nao.
To prevent such issues to happen all the time, therefore NAO always involves all regional leaders such as village heads and the State Police to solve the problems encountered in the field. But so far, we have resolved all these issues.
TATOLI: What message are you supposed to convey to Former EU Ambassador Andrew Jacobs who has ended his term in Timor – Leste?
da Silva: I would like to ask Ambassador Andrew Jacobs to continue encouraging the new Ambassador of the EU to Timor-Leste to continue supporting Timor-Leste in the implementation of the development program for the welfare of the Timorese people.
Journalist: Camilo de Sousa
Editor: Rafy Belo
