DILI, 04 february 2026 (TATOLI) – The Council of Ministers has approved the draft Government Resolution establishing the National Council for the Organisation of the ASEAN Chairmanship of Timor-Leste in 2029.
The resolution was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and the Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel.
According to the Government, the National Council will serve as the central inter-ministerial coordination body responsible for strategic guidance, planning, monitoring and supervision of preparatory work and the implementation of the ASEAN Chairmanship.
The council is tasked with ensuring effective coordination among relevant government entities, ASEAN mechanisms, and national and international partners.
The resolution establishes a three-tier governance structure comprising the National Council, its Executive Committee, and the ASEAN National Secretariat as a permanent operational coordination mechanism.
The Executive Committee, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, as appointed by the Prime Minister, will be responsible for the operational management and implementation of the National Council’s decisions.
To ensure effective strategic coordination, five Sector Coordinators are also planned, who report to the Executive Committee and assume responsibility for infrastructure and facilities, human resources and institutional capacity building, security and public order, diplomacy and communication, and finance and operations, under the leadership of the respective competent ministries.
Timor-Leste is set to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029, a milestone widely seen as a significant step in the country’s regional integration efforts.
TATOLI
