DILI, 28 january 2026 (TATOLI) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s two-day visit to Timor-Leste has resulted in a renewed commitment by both governments to accelerate the development of the Greater Sunrise gas field under a new bilateral partnership.
On wednesday, january 28, Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, signed the New Partnership for a New Era at the Government Palace in Dili, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries.
According to the joint declaration establishing a “New Partnership for a New Era” under Pillar Two: Prosperity and Resilience, Australia and Timor-Leste share an ambition for Greater Sunrise to be developed as soon as possible for the benefit of both States as envisioned by the historic Maritime Boundary Treaty.
“I bring good news on the Greater Sunrise Project. The agreement we signed today recognises how important this project is for both our nations, and particularly for Timor-Leste’s economic development,” said Prime Minister Albanese during the joint press conference in Dili today.
Australia and Timor-Leste “commit to working closely together and with the Sunrise Joint Venture in good faith to develop an ambitious timeline to conclude the Petroleum Mining Code, Greater Sunrise Production Sharing Contract, and fiscal regime framework required under the Maritime Boundary Treaty, thus enabling concrete progress towards development of the resource.
“We are very pleased that today we agreed to accelerate our negotiations to finalise the Petroleum Mining Code, the Production Sharing Contract and the Fiscal regime expeditiously,” Prime Minister Gusmão said during the joint press conference.
He reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s position that natural gas from the Greater Sunrise field must be piped and developed onshore in Timor-Leste.
“Timor-Leste’s position on Greater Sunrise has always been clear – the natural gas from Greater Sunrise must be processed onshore in Timor-Leste,” Gusmão said.
He highlighted that the development of Greater Sunrise is crucial for Timor-Leste’s national development and long-term economic strength.
“I reinforced with the Australian Prime Minister that Timor-Leste is committed to progressing Greater Sunrise in a manner that is commercially sound, technically robust and aligned with the interests of our people,” Gusmão stressed.
Australia’s Minister for Resources and Timor-Leste’s Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources further commit to close bilateral engagement, over the coming months, to directly oversee accelerated negotiations to finalise the above documents expeditiously.
Both governments encouraged the Sunrise Joint Venture to make use of Study and present to the States as soon as possible a Development Concept proposal for Greater Sunrise that can satisfy the requirements of the Maritime Boundary Treaty.
“We also commit to supporting the Sunrise Joint Venture to progress the project swiftly upon the States’ approval of a single Development Concept,” read the declaration. “Australia acknowledges Timor-Leste’s commitment to onshore processing and to the south coast Tasi Mane project.”
Australia will support any commercially viable solution to develop Greater Sunrise proposed by the Sunrise Joint Venture consistent with the Maritime Boundary Treaty.
The declaration stressed that a stable, independent and prosperous Timor-Leste will be a beacon for other States in the region and is important to Australia. “This is critical to advance our shared goal of ensuring the project supports economic diversification in Timor-Leste and delivers long-term sustainable socio-economic benefits for its people. Development of Greater Sunrise should support the economic, political and social stability of Timor-Leste, to which Australia is strongly committed.”
Canberra pledged technical assistance and a financial mechanism linked to future revenues. “Australia would also establish an Infrastructure Fund to be used in Timor-Leste and allocate to it a fixed 10% share of total States’ upstream revenue from the Greater Sunrise project, funded entirely from Australia’s share of future revenue,” read the statement.
Australia would establish the Fund once any commercially viable solution proposed by the commercial parties is agreed by the States consistent with the requirements of the Maritime Boundary Treaty. “This commitment will see at least a third of Australia’s revenue from the project being provided to Timor-Leste via the Infrastructure Fund,” the statement added.
The proposed fund would be created once a commercially viable solution is agreed, and would be co-designed “in the spirit of partnership, with respect for Timor-Leste’s sovereignty.
The new partnership marked a significant outcome of Albanese’s visit, signalling renewed momentum for Greater Sunrise and a strengthened economic partnership between the two neighbours.
TATOLI
