DILI, 14 July 2026 (TATOLI) — Japan has donated two sanitation vehicles to Timor-Leste’s National Employment and Vocational Training Centre (CNEFP) as part of a broader initiative to strengthen vocational education, technology transfer and public sanitation services.
The vehicles were officially handed over at a ceremony held at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace in Dili on Tuesday. Among those attending were Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, President José Ramos-Horta, Vice Minister for Infrastructure Júlio do Carmo, Japanese Ambassador to Timor-Leste Yamamoto Yasushi, CNEFP Director Simão Tito Barreto, and representatives of the Japanese company KANSEI and CWP GLOBAL.
The donation is part of an ongoing partnership between CNEFP, KANSEI and CWP GLOBAL to promote technology transfer, develop skilled workers and expand employment opportunities in the sanitation sector.
Since the cooperation began in 2024, Timorese trainees have received practical training in Japan, while Japanese experts have delivered technical training programmes in Timor-Leste.
The donated equipment consists of a high-pressure water jet cleaning truck and a vacuum suction truck. The vehicles are designed to remove sediment, sludge and wastewater from drainage networks, stormwater systems and roadside drains, helping improve the maintenance of sanitation infrastructure and urban hygiene.
KANSEI specialists also conducted a live demonstration of the equipment during the handover ceremony, explaining operating procedures, safety measures and maintenance requirements to prepare future operators for field deployment.
CNEFP Director Simão Tito Barreto said the partnership had created valuable opportunities for Timorese youth through technical training and knowledge exchange.
“This partnership between our two countries has enabled CNEFP students to receive training in Japan, while Japanese volunteers came to Timor-Leste to share their knowledge and experience. Today, CNEFP receives advanced technology that will strengthen the application of those skills in our country,” he said.
Barreto said the new vehicles would improve the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of sanitation and hygiene services, and thanked the Japanese partners for their continued support.
KANSEI President Kenzy Hasegawa said the donation reflected the company’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s development through vocational training and professional skills development.
“The delivery of these vehicles to CNEFP is part of our efforts to contribute to Timor-Leste’s development by training Timorese people and strengthening their professional skills,” he said.
Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay thanked the Government of Japan and KANSEI for their support, saying the initiative would strengthen Timor-Leste’s capacity in vocational training, sanitation management and the maintenance of public infrastructure.
Japanese Ambassador Yamamoto Yasushi said the cooperation between KANSEI, CWP GLOBAL and CNEFP illustrated the growing partnership between Japan and Timor-Leste in human resource development and technology transfer, contributing to local skills development, job creation and improved sanitation services.
As part of the partnership, technicians from CWP GLOBAL will remain in Timor-Leste for approximately two months to provide hands-on training to CNEFP trainees using the newly donated vehicles during real drainage maintenance operations.
Upon completing the programme, the trainees are expected to apply their skills in drainage cleaning and maintenance projects, helping strengthen Timor-Leste’s long-term capacity to manage and maintain its sanitation infrastructure.
TATOLI
