DILI, 27 April 2026 (TATOLI) – The government of Timor-Leste, led by Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, and the Indonesia government have today begun the third round of negotiations on maritime boundary delimitation between the two countries in Singapore.
Elizabeth Exposto, Executive Director of Timor-Leste’s Land and Maritime Boundaries Office (GFTM), said both Timor-Leste and Indonesia had demonstrated their willingness during previous negotiations—including the first round in Dili and the second in Jakarta—to advance to the third round, which is currently being held in Singapore.
Exposto said that the previous rounds of negotiations had built a strong mutual understanding between the two countries.
“Timor-Leste is optimistic that, in this third round of negotiations, both countries will continue to move forward in a spirit of friendship and cooperation,” she said.
Exposto said both sides are committed to hearing and understanding each other’s views and to cooperating in pursuit of a fair, equitable, and long-term solution grounded in international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The negotiations underscore the strong partnership between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, built on shared goals of regional stability, sustainable development, and responsible ocean management.
She hoped that the three-day discussions would lead to an outcome that is acceptable to both countries.
It is recalled that the first official meeting between Timor-Leste and the Republic of Indonesia on maritime boundaries was held on August 19–20 in Dili, marking the beginning of a formal process to establish permanent maritime boundaries between the two nations.
The talks concluded with an agreement to continue negotiations in a gradual and peaceful manner, grounded in international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Timor-Leste and Indonesia also held the second round of maritime boundary negotiations in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 8 to 10 December 2025.
Timor-Leste and Indonesia enjoy a close and enduring relationship and have emerged as a global model for reconciliation and constructive partnership.
As neighbouring countries across both land and sea, bordering each other to the north, west, and east, the two nations have an obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to delimit their overlapping maritime entitlements in order to clarify the extent of their sovereignty and sovereign rights.
Following the successful conclusion of the compulsory conciliation with Australia under the UNCLOS, and the signing of the 2018 Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia establishing their Maritime Boundary in the Timor Sea, Timor-Leste has turned its attention to the delimitation of its remaining maritime boundaries with Indonesia.
The 2018 Maritime Boundary Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia is expressly without prejudice to the negotiation and delimitation of maritime boundaries between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.
TATOLI
