DILI, 15 July 2025 (TATOLI) – Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the launch of the enhanced Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (eSTARS) package, a strengthened version of the original STARS initiative.
The announcement was made during an official luncheon hosted on July 14 in honor of visiting Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. The Head of the Government is on a four-day official visit to Singapore from July 13 to 16, 2025.
Through the eSTARS package, the Singaporean government will step up its support for Timor-Leste’s institutional capacity-building efforts, as the country prepares for its anticipated accession to ASEAN on October 26.
This new package will run from July 2025 to December 2028 and builds on the STARS programme launched in December 2022.
“The eSTARS package will comprise capacity-building programmes aimed at equipping Timor-Leste officials to participate effectively in ASEAN meetings.The package will include wider access to ASEAN-related training courses and expertise to support Timor-Leste’s accession to key ASEAN Economic Agreements and full integration into ASEAN, beyond its formal accession in October,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement.
The eSTARS package will also comprise customised programmes and postgraduate scholarships aimed at developing human capital in Timor-Leste. This includes a high-level leadership programme and training in specific areas such as international trade law and technical and vocational education.
The eSTARS package reflects Singapore’s strong commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s capacity-building efforts as it prepares for accession and full integration into ASEAN.
To date, over 1,100 Timorese officials have participated in courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the specially customised Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (STARS) Package.
During the luncheon, Prime Minister Wong told Prime Minister Gusmão, “Timor-Leste’s upcoming accession to ASEAN is a significant milestone, both for your country and for ASEAN.”
During the visit, Prime Minister Gusmão held bilateral meetings with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, where they discussed strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
Both sides affirmed the warm and longstanding ties between Singapore and Timor-Leste, which precede Timor-Leste’s independence.
President Tharman and Prime Minister Wong welcomed the deepening of bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, human resource development, and people-to-people exchanges.
They reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to support Timor-Leste’s development through capacity building programmes and welcomed more Timorese officials to participate in the Singapore Cooperation Programme.
Prime Minister Wong expressed appreciation for the gift of 60 sandalwood saplings from Timor-Leste in commemoration of SG60.
In response, Prime Minister Gusmão conveyed his sincere gratitude for Singapore’s longstanding support, especially in assisting Timor-Leste’s preparations for ASEAN membership.
Gusmão also expressed his appreciation to Singapore, one of the first countries to join the Australian-led multinational peacekeeping mission in 1999, which played a key role in restoring peace and stability ahead of Timor-Leste’s official restoration of independence in 2002.
TATOLI
