DILI, 15 february 2024 (TATOLI) – Vice-Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, and President of the Timorese Episcopal Conference (CET – Portuguese acronym), Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, signed today, february 15th, an agreement that sets out the attribution, by the Government, of a public grant, corresponding to a total amount of US$15 million, for the financial year 2024, for carrying out activities in the educational, social and ecclesial government areas.
The signing ceremony took place in the Auditorium at the Government Palace, in Dili.
Assanami said that the activities that the church carries out, whether social or educational, are important for the country’s development.
Cardinal Silva said that CET will distribute these funds to the dioceses of Dili, Baucau, and Maliana in order to strengthen education, social and ecclesial management.
He recalled that of the US$15 million made available by the government last year, CET allocated more than six million for the construction of churches and chapels.
This agreement is concluded under the Concordat, an agreement signed on August 14th, 2015, between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Holy See, which establishes the legal framework for bilateral relations between the two States, and the Framework Agreement, signed on June 16th, 2017 between the Government and CET. These agreements provide for an annual contribution, according to the Government’s financial availability, to the activities of social, educational and ecclesial government of the Catholic Church. The amount and modalities of the grant are regulated annually by specific agreements between the Government and the Timorese Episcopal Conference.
According to the new Framework Agreement between Timor-Leste and the Holy See for the period 2022 to 2027, this support was the third financial contribution of US$15 million given by the government to CET.
Journalist: Jose Belarmino de Sa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
