Díli, Aug. 7, 2025 (Lusa) - The prime minister of Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmão, on Thursday encouraged the Timorese private sector to cooperate with Australian companies to explore potential business opportunities in that country.
Xanana Gusmão was speaking to journalists at the 2025 Economic and Business Conference between Timor-Leste and Australia, organised with the aim of strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
"Today we see that many Australian companies are present at this conference. I have asked the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry to analyse, over these two days, areas of potential and business opportunities that can be developed in cooperation with the Australian private sector," said Xanana Gusmão.
The prime minister added that the Timorese private sector should engage in more in-depth dialogue with Australian businesspeople to identify and develop areas of business for investment.
“There is no point in holding conferences every year and making fine speeches if there are no results,” said Xanana Gusmão.
According to the prime minister, if Timorese businesspeople do not yet fully understand certain areas of business, they should talk to Australians in order to receive training and strengthen their knowledge.
Xanana Gusmão recalled that the Government intends to launch the National Development Bank of Timor-Leste (BNDTL) to provide credit to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in order to boost economic activity.
“I call on the Timorese private sector to look at this opportunity and start thinking now about what it can do to generate employment within the country,” stressed the head of government.
The prime minister also expressed concern about dependence on imports and the high number of young people who continue to emigrate to work abroad.
“We import practically everything. We cannot continue to think only about sending people abroad. If we limit ourselves to being a country that only gives passports to young people to go and work abroad, our development will be difficult,” warned Xanana Gusmão.
The Australian Minister for International Development, Anne Aly, highlighted the importance of the conference in creating business opportunities for entrepreneurs from both countries.
“Everyone here knows that it is direct contact between companies that drives innovation, creates jobs and opens up new opportunities. And I believe we are already seeing this happen,” said Anne Aly.
The Australian minister also pointed out that “Australian companies are increasingly active in Timor-Leste in strategic sectors such as telecommunications, tourism, finance, oil and gas, maritime transport, agriculture, manufacturing and services”.
The 2025 Economic and Business Conference is attended by around 400 businesspeople, investors and political representatives from both countries.
Both Australia and Timor-Leste are committed to strengthening bilateral trade and investment in the context of Southeast Asia, in line with the Special Partnership Strategy between Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Timor-Leste's strategy for joining that organisation.
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