Prime Minister undertakes working visit to Indonesia for fourth round of maritime boundary negotiations
DÍLI, 31 August 2026 (TATOLI) – Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão began a working visit to Indonesia on August 29th, 2026, which will include the fourth round of formal negotiations on the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Timor-Leste and Indonesia, to be held on September 1st, 2026, in Jakarta.
Negotiations between the two countries began in August 2025 in Dili, with the establishment of the guiding principles for the process. The second round was held in December 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and the third took place in April this year in Singapore.
The delimitation of the maritime boundary with Indonesia forms part of the process of permanently defining Timor-Leste’s borders, following the conclusion, in 2018, of the Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia establishing their respective maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea.
The fourth round of negotiations will take place on September 1st, 2026, in Jakarta, with the participation of delegations from Timor-Leste and Indonesia. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and Executive Director of the Land and Maritime Borders Office, Elizabeth Exposto.
Before travelling to Jakarta, while in Bali, the Prime Minister visited the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) in Sanur on August 29th, 2026, where he learned about programmes developed in the areas of marine conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable management of marine resources.
During the visit, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão highlighted the shared responsibility of countries in the region to protect marine ecosystems. “The sea has no borders. The corals living in Timor-Leste’s waters are connected to the marine ecosystems of the entire region. Therefore, our responsibility is also shared,” stated the Prime Minister.
The Head of Government also advocated for coordination between marine conservation, the development of coastal communities, and the blue economy, through cooperation in the areas of science, research, training, the management of marine protected areas, and community participation.
Also on August 29th, 2026, the Prime Minister received, at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, the mortal remains of Bishop Jaime Garcia Goulart, Bishop José Joaquim Ribeiro, and Monsignor Martinho da Costa Lopes, as part of the repatriation process from Portugal to Timor-Leste, organised by the Government in collaboration with the Catholic Church.
On the occasion, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão thanked the Indonesian customs authorities, particularly the team in Bali, for their cooperation in the repatriation process.
The following day, August 30th, 2026, the Prime Minister attended a Mass in honour of the three prelates, held at Rumah Duka Mumbul in Denpasar and presided over by the Bishop of Denpasar, Bishop Silvester Tung Kiem San, with the participation of the Timorese community residing in Bali.
The itinerary for the working visit continues in Jakarta, where the delegations of Timor-Leste and Indonesia are scheduled to hold, on September 1st, 2026, the fourth round of formal negotiations on the maritime boundary. The Prime Minister will also attend a lunch hosted by Indonesia’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno, and a conference organised by Hasanuddin University.
The Prime Minister and the national delegation are scheduled to return to Timor-Leste on September 7th, 2026.
TATOLI
