DILI, 01 january 2026 (TATOLI) – Minister of Commerce and Industry (MCI) of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste H.E. Nino Pereira participated in the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 and related meetings in Cebu City, Philippines, representing H.E. Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, First Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment of Timor-Leste.
On the sidelines of the Forum, H.E. Mr. Filipus Nino Pereira, Minister of Commerce and Industry, together with the Timor-Leste delegation, held a bilateral luncheon meeting with H.E. Mr. Satvinder Singh, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN economic and tourism cooperation, with a focus on tourism development, investment readiness, financing mechanisms, and human capital development.
The ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General welcomed Timor-Leste’s active engagement in ASEAN tourism cooperation and commended the country’s preparations to host its first ASEAN tourism working group meeting in October 2026, marking an important milestone in Timor-Leste’s ASEAN integration process.
The meeting noted the positive outlook for Timor-Leste’s tourism sector, supported by improving air connectivity and emerging opportunities in cruise tourism, as well as priority investment needs in accommodation, MICE facilities, and tourism-related infrastructure.
In addition, on the margins of ATF 2026, H.E. Mr. Filipus Nino Pereira held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Both sides welcomed the strengthening of bilateral tourism cooperation and agreed to expedite the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism cooperation between the two countries.
The ASEAN Secretariat reaffirmed its readiness to provide technical support and to work closely with Timor-Leste’s institutions in advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable tourism development.
The Minister of Commerce and Industry emphasized that Timor-Leste’s participation in ATF 2026 reflects the Government’s commitment to deepening ASEAN cooperation and promoting sustainable economic and tourism development as a new ASEAN Member State.
TATOLI
