DILI, 04 June 2026 (TATOLI) – The Minister of Transport and Communications of Timor-Leste, Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, held a strategic bilateral meeting on May 20, with Wilson L. White, Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google Asia-Pacific. The meeting took place at Capella Sentosa during the opening day of the Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) Summit 2026, Asia’s flagship technology event hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
Minister Miguel was accompanied by Pedro Lay, Coordinator of the Installation Committee of CTL, E.P., and João Olívio Freitas, Technical Advisor to the Minister. Wilson L. White was accompanied by Matt Check, APAC Affairs – Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google.
The high-level discussion focused on reinvigorating the strategic partnership between the Government of Timor-Leste and Google, aiming to transition from dialogue to concrete outcomes in four critical priority areas: formal platform recognition, capacity building, local content promotion, and geospatial data enhancement.
A central priority raised by Minister Manetelu was the urgent need for consistent formal recognition of Timor-Leste across all Google platforms. Emphasizing Timor-Leste’s status as a sovereign nation and the newest member of ASEAN, the Minister highlighted the pressing issue on YouTube, where Timorese creators and users currently face limitations in selecting “Timor-Leste” as their nationality or location. The Minister requested a firm commitment from Google to initiate technical updates that ensure digital equity, enabling Timorese citizens to fully participate in and monetize their contributions within the global digital ecosystem.
In response, Wilson L. White affirmed Google’s commitment to supporting the formal recognition and representation of Timor-Leste across Google platforms in the near future, demonstrating Google’s responsiveness to this critical national concern.
Recognizing that human capital is foundational to a thriving digital economy, the Timor-Leste delegation proposed extending Google’s regional digital skills programs, such as the Go Digital ASEAN initiative and the AI Opportunity Fund, directly to Timor-Leste. The Minister requested targeted capacity-building partnerships focusing on Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity for government officials, law enforcement, and the private sector, alongside initiatives to bolster digital literacy and online safety.
White acknowledged the strategic importance of these initiatives and committed to establishing a partnership framework between Google and Timor-Leste representatives to facilitate the implementation of digital skills development and capacity-building programs in Timor-Leste. This framework will enable systematic and sustainable human capital development across the nation’s public and private sectors.
With the expansion of internet connectivity across the nation, the Government of Timor-Leste is actively seeking to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and local content creators. The Minister invited Google to host workshops in Dili focused on digital entrepreneurship, ensuring that Timorese creators have full access to monetization tools and digital payment ecosystems. This initiative aims to leverage platforms like YouTube to promote Timorese music, culture, and ecotourism on a global stage.
Google expressed willingness to explore opportunities for monetization services for Timor-Leste content creators and MSMEs. However, White noted that further discussions are required to ensure that the country’s existing financial system is adequately prepared to support a sustainable digital payment ecosystem. This collaborative approach reflects Google’s commitment to ensuring that digital monetization initiatives are implemented in a manner that strengthens Timor-Leste’s broader financial infrastructure.
As Timor-Leste overcomes historical connectivity challenges through subsea cables and satellite internet expansion, accurate geospatial data has become increasingly vital. The delegation proposed a collaborative effort with Google to map and update Timor-Leste’s geospatial data on Google Maps. This includes a targeted campaign to assist local businesses in claiming and verifying their Google Business Profiles, thereby enhancing the nation’s visibility for logistics, tourism, and emergency services.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Manetelu and Wilson L. White agreed to designate focal points from Google and the Ministry of Transport and Communications to further coordinate and advance the identified priority areas until their successful implementation. These focal points will work in accordance with the Ministry’s institutional mandate and portfolio to ensure systematic progress on all agreed initiatives.
Manetelu emphasized that all future engagements and official discussions with Google concerning Timor-Leste should be formally coordinated through the Ministry of Transport and Communications. This institutional arrangement ensures coherent government representation and facilitates effective coordination across all relevant stakeholders within the national digital transformation agenda.
In his concluding remarks, Minister Manetelu reaffirmed that Timor-Leste is open for digital business and ready to partner with global technology leaders. The meeting demonstrated mutual commitment to advancing digital inclusion, economic opportunity, and technological capacity in Timor-Leste, with both parties expressing confidence in the potential for meaningful collaboration that will benefit the nation’s citizens and businesses.
TATOLI
