DILI, 22 May 2025 (TATOLI) – Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, in his weekly meeting with the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, discussed the pressing national issues, especially the country’s ongoing unemployment crisis.
With most of Timor-Leste’s 1.4 million people being young, both leaders expressed concern over youth unemployment. They described it as one of the country’s most pressing issues that needs urgent attention.
Prime Minister Gusmão emphasized the need to shift mindsets away from expecting government employment toward entrepreneurship and private sector development.
“We cannot employ everyone in public administration or the security forces,” PM noted, stressing that the new generation must think beyond seeking jobs through computers and laptops to actively participating in economic development through self-employment.
In a developing country like Timor-Leste, the basic issue is that there are simply not enough jobs for the youth entering the labor market every year, forcing many to seek jobs overseas.
According to the Thematic Report on Labour Force from the 2022 Timor-Leste Population and Housing Census, only 35.9% of the working-age population is active in the labour force, with higher participation among men (41.9%) than women (29.7%). Youth engagement is particularly low, at just 16.7%.
TATOLI
