President Ramos-Horta, Macau delegation discuss strengthening cooperation in education and public service
DÍLI, 9 October 2026 (TATOLI) – President José Ramos-Horta has met a delegation from Macau’s Public Servants Association to discuss strengthening cooperation in education, public-sector training, trade and investment.
The delegation was led by Rita Santos, President of the General Assembly of the Macao Civil Servants’ Association (ATFPM), and José Pereira Coutinho, Head of the Board of Directors of the association and a member of Macau’s Legislative Assembly.
During the meeting at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace on Friday, the two sides highlighted the longstanding ties between Timor-Leste and Macau, including their shared Portuguese language and legal traditions, as well as opportunities to deepen economic and institutional cooperation.
Santos outlined Macau’s social and economic development and its plans to diversify the economy under its third five-year development plan.
She also highlighted Macau’s role as a platform for economic and trade relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Timor-Leste is a member of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, commonly known as the Forum Macao, which promotes economic, commercial and other cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking nations.
Santos thanked Ramos-Horta for attending the forum’s third ministerial conference in Macau in 2010. The event brought together official and business delegations for training programs, seminars, trade fairs and study visits organized with the support of the Macau Special Administrative Region government.
Coutinho presented the association’s history and activities, emphasizing the contribution of Timorese residents in Macau to cultural and commercial relations between the two sides.
He said many Timorese residents were members of the association, which has continued to assist them in addressing everyday challenges and other concerns while living in Macau.
The discussions also highlighted Macau’s contribution to developing Timor-Leste’s human resources through education and professional training.
The delegation expressed a strong commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s national development, with a specific focus on education and the capacity building of public sector professionals.
With support from the Macau government, Timorese students and public-sector professionals have undertaken training programs and university studies in Macau, particularly in law. Many have returned home to take up senior positions in the public service and private sector.
Highlighting successful past initiatives such as Timorese lawyers who were trained at the University of Macau, José Coutinho emphasized the importance of translating these dialogues into concrete, actionable results. Utilizing their shared legal and linguistic heritage, Macau aims to provide continued support in training highly skilled Timorese cadres.
Ramos-Horta welcomed the delegation and expressed pleasure at meeting Santos again. The president had maintained regular contact with her when she served as deputy secretary-general of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao.
He thanked the association’s representatives for visiting Timor-Leste and acknowledged Macau’s longstanding contribution to strengthening economic and trade relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Ramos-Horta also expressed hope that China and Macau would expand investment and partnerships in Timor-Leste to support national development and improve the living standards of the Timorese people.
The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, reflecting the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Timor-Leste and Macau. The delegation was also invited to a luncheon at the Presidential Palace.
The visit was organised by the Office of Timor-Leste Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, with institutional support from António Ramos da Silva, Timor-Leste’s representative to the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao.
The Macau Foundation is sponsoring the delegation’s official visit to Timor-Leste.
TATOLI
