DILI, 27 october 2022 (TATOLI) – The President of the National Parliament, Aniceto Longuinho Guterres Lopes, met with his Portuguese counterpart, Augusto Santos Silva, to discuss the development of the agreement on the mobility of people between Timor-Leste and Portugal.
According to a statement from the National Parliament (NP), the two leaders discussed strategic matters, as well as the acceleration process of the signing of the agreement on the mobility of people.
On the occasion, Guterres took the opportunity to thank Portuguese authorities for the support given to the Timorese workers who are living in a precarious situation in Portugal.
Timor-Leste had delivered to the Executive Secretariat of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), the ratification of the agreement on the mobility of people between the member countries.
Mobility between CPLP member countries is aimed at doctors, businessmen, and academics (students and researchers), who will hold diplomatic, official, special, and service passports.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEC), Adaljiza Magno, had previously said that the agreement would also involve bilateral negotiations, for example between Portugal and Angola, to regulate each country’s particular matter regarding the movement of people from each Member State.
In addition, Timor-Leste Government also wants to establish a labor mobility agreement with Portugal, as it has already done with Australia and South Korea. This agreement aims to mitigate the consequences of Timorese traveling to Portugal without labor contracts to ensure a stay with dignified conditions.
Journalist: Domingos Piedade Freitas
Editor: Maria Auxiliadora/Nelia Borges
Translation: Filomeno Martins
