DILI, 18 August 2025 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste will host the first round of formal maritime border negotiations with Indonesia in the capital, Dili, from August 19 to 20, 2025.
Senior officials from both Timor-Leste and Indonesia will participate in structured discussions aimed at establishing a permanent maritime boundary between the two nations. This formal negotiation follows over a decade of informal dialogue, exploratory meetings, and technical information exchanges.
The Government of Timor-Leste remains committed to peacefully resolving its maritime boundaries in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“This upcoming round of maritime border negotiations highlights the shared dedication of Timor-Leste and Indonesia to maintaining regional stability, upholding international law, and strengthening good neighbourly relations,” stated a press release from the Government of Timor-Leste, accessed by TATOLI on Monday.
Timor-Leste shares maritime boundaries with both Australia and Indonesia. In March 2018, Timor-Leste and Australia signed an agreement at the United Nations in New York to delimit their maritime boundary.
That agreement was reached through UNCLOS’s Compulsory Conciliation process. Successfully negotiating the maritime boundary with Indonesia will allow Timor-Leste to complete its maritime sovereignty and sovereign rights –critical for effective governance, ocean conservation, resource management, and national security.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
