DILI, 25 july 2022 (TATOLI) – United States International Development Agency (USAID) and the Government of Timor – Leste through the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs (MCAE), today organized the workshop on Public and Private partners in the sector of tourism to identify the national priorities of tourism in Timor – Leste.
The Director of USAID Mission in Timor – Leste, Zema Semunegus, said this workshop aims to share the information and idea of PPP‘s modality to the all-ministerial line to define the principal priority of tourism sustainability in Timor – Leste.
“PPP is done to stimulate public and private cooperation to develop the long list of PPP‘s priorities and build 1500 tourist destinations and it is predicted that there will be 200,000 million tourists who will visit Timor-Leste in 2030 to access the international market, therefore USAID through Tourism for All will work with PPP to provide a $9 million fund to develop the priority of tourism sides in Timor – Leste,” she said.
Semunegus, said so far the U. S government through the project of USAID Tourism for All has been supporting Timor – Leste to implement the national tourism policy which had ratified by the council o minister in 2017.
The Minister of Finance, Antonio Freitas said, the workshop today will identify the government’s priorities in the tourism sector to be developed together to attract many tourists to visit Timor – Leste and to increase the country’s economic growth.
“PPP and the Government will jointly put a budget for the development of the tourism sector in Timor – Leste, with this collaboration it will involve Foreign Direct Investment and will automatically reduce the State Annual Budget (OJE) for the tourism sector, because the Government of Timor – Leste, has collaborated with PPP in Timor – Leste,” he said.
The government will continue to work together with USAID to implement the Tourism for All project and involve PPP to identify several tourist destinations such as Cristo-Rei, Ramelau, Tibar Bay Port, and the other tourist destinations, in Timor-Leste.
“The government of Timor – Leste, has committed to prioritizing the productivity sector including the tourism sector through Foreign Direct Investment Cooperation and involving PPP to work together to develop the tourism sector as an alternative to substitute the oil and gas to reduce the poverty by 2030 and building the Timor – Leste, ‘s
At the same place the Minister of Tourism, Trade, and Industry, José Lucas da Silva do Carmo, said today the Government through MCAE and USAID invited all partners to discuss together the contents of the PPP to be implemented in 2023.
“On behalf of the Government of Timor – Leste, through MCAE I thanked USAID which can implement this PPP program and I hope all participants will take this opportunity to learn about the contents of the PPP to be implemented in Timor – Leste, in developing the tourism sector to improve the people’s life and the country economic in the future,” he said.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B
