DILI, 31 July 2025 (TATOLI) – The Covalima Municipality in Timor-Leste and the Manawatū District in New Zealand have signed a new partnership to strengthen local cooperation and community ties. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Feilding, a town in the Manawatū District of the North Island of New Zealand, by Timor-Leste’s Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, and Manawatū District Mayor, Helen Worboys.
The signing ceremony was attended by Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Idelta Maria Rodrigues, Covalima’s Municipal Authority President, Miguel Armada Cardoso, and senior officials from the State Administration Ministry and the Timor-Leste’s Embassy.
The agreement supports Timor-Leste’s national decentralization strategy, led by the Ministry of State Administration. It aims to promote cooperation between the two districts, deepen people-to-people connections, and build strong local partnerships.
Speaking at the event, Mayor Worboys called it “a historic day for the relationship between our peoples,” noting New Zealand’s early support for Timor-Leste’s peace and nation-building efforts after its independence in the early 2000s. “This agreement marks a new chapter in our shared journey, built on mutual goodwill and cooperation,” she said.
Minister Cabral emphasized the importance of empowering local authorities. “This partnership reflects a shared vision of local government as a driver of sustainable development, social unity, and public service delivery,” he said. “For Timor-Leste, this is especially important as we work to build a modern, efficient, and decentralized public administration during this critical phase of democratic consolidation.”
The MoU outlines joint cooperation in key areas such as agriculture, seasonal employment, and education, with a special focus on agricultural training. It also promotes cultural and community exchanges to foster mutual understanding and tackle common development challenges.
Minister Cabral also expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome in Feilding. “This agreement symbolizes not only an institutional commitment but also a friendship between our peoples, grounded in a shared history of solidarity,” he said. Cabral encouraged other municipalities in Timor-Leste to pursue international partnerships to expand their development opportunities.
Ambassador Rodrigues, who played a key role in facilitating the partnership, highlighted the year-long diplomatic and technical efforts behind the agreement. She praised local New Zealand authorities for their openness and cooperation.
She also outlined the Embassy’s priority areas for cooperation, including strengthening the Seasonal Worker Program and reintegrating returning workers, connecting schools and sister cities, promoting blue economy initiatives, and advancing digital transformation focused on inclusion, public service innovation, and e-commerce.
Thanks to these ongoing efforts, the number of scholarships for Timorese students in New Zealand has risen from 12 to 35. The Ambassador noted that Timor-Leste’s Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment Policy (SEFOPE) had already led a mission to New Zealand to discuss the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme, which recruits workers — mainly from Pacific nations, including Timor-Leste — for New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture sectors.
She also announced an upcoming event titled “A Day with Timor-Leste and New Zealand,” scheduled for late November 2025, as part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s Proclamation of Independence. The event has already received strong interest from several sectors in New Zealand.
Present at the ceremony were Manawatū District Deputy Mayor Michael Ford, Chief Executive Shayne Harris, education representatives, local councillors, and New Zealand citizens who had served in past peace missions to Timor-Leste.
TATOLI
