Dili, Aug. 28, 2025 (Lusa) - The Timorese prime minister, Xanana Gusmão, on Thursday advocated creating jobs for young people and increasing production in Timor-Leste of the goods that are consumed and used in the country.
"We need to create jobs, reduce poverty and give our young people the opportunity to build their lives in our country. This is the challenge of economic sovereignty," said the head of the Timorese government at the opening of the Dili International Trade Exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which runs until Friday.
"We have to produce more of what we eat and use. We have to process more of our own coffee, sandalwood, coconut and fish. We have to sell not just to ourselves, but to the world," Xanana Gusmão said.
"Every Timorese product that replaces an import strengthens our independence. Every product that finds an international market brings income to families and gives real meaning to our sovereignty," he emphasised.
The prime minister also emphasised the fundamental role of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in creating jobs and economic growth.
"In this exhibition, we particularly celebrate the Timorese who have created and branded their own products. They are innovators who inspire others and show what is possible. They prove that Timor-Leste can produce with quality and sell to the world", he said.
Xanana Gusmão also added that the exhibition aims to connect entrepreneurs with investors, encourage partnerships, emphasising that Timor-Leste "is ready to produce, build, create and grow".
Delegations from countries such as Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, China, Macau, India, Fiji, among others, as well as 93 international companies and 157 Timorese individuals, are participating in the exhibition, which is being held at the Convention Centre in the Timorese capital.
The event features a diverse programme that includes business and product promotion, debates, sessions for potential business partnerships, and presentations of business and investment opportunities by government agencies and the Timor-Leste Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI-TL).
The initiative aims to provide a platform for national and international traders, manufacturers, and industrialists to collaborate and invest in the country, while also producing and enhancing the “made in Timor-Leste” brand in the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the world.
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