DILI, 13 March 2026 (TATOLI) – The government of Timor-Leste has opened a one-stop public service centre in Maliana, in Bobonaro Municipality, aimed at improving access to government services for local residents.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão presided over the inauguration ceremony on March 12, alongside Minister of State Administration Tomás do Rosário Cabral and Katyna Argueta, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Timor-Leste.
The facility, known as the Balcão Único, allows citizens to access several public services in one location, part of the government’s effort to modernize public administration and bring services closer to communities.
Officials said the centre is expected to reduce travel time and costs for residents, particularly those living far from the capital, Dili.
Services available at the centre include the issuance of national identity cards, passports and criminal record certificates. The project is implemented through cooperation between the Ministry of State Administration of Timor-Leste and several government agencies, including the Ministry of Justice of Timor-Leste and the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Timor-Leste, which provides digital connectivity.
The initiative is also supported by the United Nations Development Programme, which has partnered with the government on the project since 2023.
During the ceremony, Gusmão called on public officials and residents to use the service responsibly and maintain integrity in public administration.
Cabral said similar one-stop centres have already been established in several municipalities, including Manatuto Municipality, Baucau Municipality, Dili, Atauro Island, Liquiçá Municipality, Aileu Municipality, Manufahi Municipality, Covalima Municipality and the Oecusse Special Administrative Region.
He said new centres in Ermera Municipality and Lautém Municipality are expected to open next week, while facilities in Viqueque Municipality and Ainaro Municipality are under construction.
Argueta said the new centre represents a step toward a more efficient, transparent and citizen-focused public administration.
Bobonaro municipal authority president Paulo Moniz Maia thanked the government and the UNDP for supporting the project, saying residents can now process official documents locally.
The Balcão Único program is part of the government’s broader policy to decentralize public administration and improve service delivery across the country.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
