DILI, 12 June 2026 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste and New Zealand have signed a military cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral defense relations and enhancing cooperation in military development, training and institutional capacity building.
The agreement was signed virtually on June 11 by Timor-Leste’s Minister of Defense, Rear Admiral Donaciano Costa Gomes, known as “Pedro Klamar Fuik,” and New Zealand Defense Minister Chris Penk.
The accord establishes a framework for cooperation in areas related to the development of the armed forces, with a particular focus on education, training and other priority sectors designed to strengthen the institutional capabilities of the FALINTIL-Defense Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL).
Following the signing ceremony, Gomes described New Zealand as a longstanding friend and trusted partner of Timor-Leste.
“New Zealand has been a friend and a strong partner of Timor-Leste since 1999, maintaining a relationship built on trust and friendship while contributing to our development and regional stability,” Gomes said. “Based on these contributions, Timor-Leste regards New Zealand as an important partner for the establishment of this cooperation.”
The agreement is the second defense cooperation pact concluded by Timor-Leste since becoming a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The first was signed with Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 1, 2025, as part of bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries.
Officials attending the signing ceremony in Dili included Ana Carla Carrascalão, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defense; Nuno Carvalho Santos, Director-General for National Defense Policy; and Commander Duarte Borges Loe, Director of International Cooperation.
Representing New Zealand were Ambassador Helen Tunah, Defense Attaché Colonel Jeremy Ramsden, Second Secretary Chelsea Roberts, and Philip Smith, a logistics adviser to the F-FDTL.
The agreement is expected to further strengthen defense cooperation between Timor-Leste and New Zealand and provide a framework for the development of joint initiatives between the institutions of both countries.
TATOLI
