DILI, 08 May 2026 (TATOLI) – Governor of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste, Hélder Lopes, together with relevant staff, participated in a roundtable discussion with Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Jessica Hunter, at Palm Springs, hosted by the Australian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste.
The meeting focused on strengthening and addressing challenges in national cyber resilience and the protection of critical infrastructure through enhanced cooperation between government, industry, and international partners in Timor-Leste. Key discussion topics included the Ambassador’s sharing of Australia’s approach to critical infrastructure and cyber risk, the implementation of Systems of National Significance, and strategies and partnerships in supporting critical infrastructure.
The roundtable also addressed cyber risk governance for critical sectors such as telecommunications, banking, and energy, as well as the growing challenges posed by legacy systems, bespoke applications, AI-driven threats, online fraud, supply chain risks, and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors.
On this occasion, the Governor of the Central Bank emphasized that cybersecurity is a critical priority for the institution, as it is directly tied to public trust and the mitigation of potential financial losses. This importance is further heightened by the Central Bank’s ongoing digital modernization initiatives, including “Bank in My Pocket” and the instant payment system (IPS), which rely heavily on robust cybersecurity measures and strong infrastructure capacity.
The roundtable further highlighted the importance of centralized incident response capabilities, real-time threat intelligence sharing, submarine cable security, harmonization of cybersecurity standards and regulatory frameworks, human resource development, tabletop exercises, public-private partnerships, and long-term regional collaboration to enhance cyber preparedness, operational resilience, and secure digital transformation initiatives.
TATOLI
