DILI, 03 June 2026 (TATOLI) — Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, met on Monday with Maria de Fátima Jardim, the Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), during her first official visit to Timor-Leste.
The meeting focused on preparations for the upcoming CPLP Council of Ministers Meeting in Dili in July 2026 and on advancing priorities under Timor-Leste’s Pro Tempore Presidency of the CPLP.
Discussions addressed the Community’s strategic direction, strengthened cooperation among Member States, and the CPLP’s role in addressing emerging global challenges.
Executive Secretary Maria de Fátima Jardim congratulated Timor-Leste on its successful hosting of recent CPLP meetings and commended the country’s leadership and commitment to the Lusophone community.
She also praised Timor-Leste’s journey from independence struggle to peace and democratic consolidation, describing it as an inspiring example of resilience, nation-building and state-building.
Both sides exchanged views on the implementation of the CPLP Strategic Vision and the alignment of national development priorities with global development goals. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining the CPLP as a relevant geopolitical and geostrategic platform connecting four continents through cooperation, solidarity, and shared prosperity.
The meeting also reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s Pro Tempore Presidency theme, “The Consolidation of the Democratic Rule of Law: A Challenge for the CPLP,” and highlighted the 30th anniversary of the CPLP under the theme “Unity in Diversity: One Community, One People.”
The Executive Secretary noted that Timor-Leste’s leadership of the CPLP has exceeded expectations, strengthening the Community’s visibility, unity, and strategic relevance while advancing peace, democracy, sustainable development, and international cooperation across the Lusophone world.
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