AGP Executive Report

ASEAN & Diplomacy: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão has flown to Vietnam for talks and to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, with an agenda that includes bilateral meetings and the signing of four agreements—covering education and higher education—aimed at deepening cooperation as Timor-Leste integrates further into ASEAN. Tourism Skills & Jobs: The Ministry of Tourism launched the Timor-Leste Tourism Ambassador Programme, a free, certified customer-service training for hospitality workers, starting with 59 participants in Dili and targeting about 300 more in the next phase. Regional Business Links: Vietnam’s embassy says the visit highlights growing economic and trade cooperation, including telecommunications and digital transformation, building on the Telemor mobile network partnership. Energy & Investment Strategy: Sunda Energy CEO Andy Butler says the company is repositioning after earlier Timor-Leste delays, while pushing gas exploration in the Philippines and describing a New Zealand acquisition as “transformational” for moving toward production and revenue. Digital Public Services: Timor-Leste is rolling out verify.gov.tl to advance digital public services and socio-economic growth, supported by a digital partnership with Cambodia. Foreign Policy Risk: The Foreign Ministry urged Timor-Leste to avoid statements that could harm Myanmar’s image, after remarks by President José Ramos-Horta drew criticism and raised concerns about ASEAN unity.

Tourism & FX: Indonesia reports foreign tourist arrivals rose 7.22% in April 2026 (to 1.25m) and 8.24% for Jan–Apr, with Timor-Leste among top source markets (75,477 visits in April), supporting foreign exchange earnings. Diplomacy & trade: Timor-Leste PM Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão flies to Vietnam (June 8–10) to deepen cooperation and attend ASEAN Future Forum 2026, with four agreements expected—education and higher education among them. ASEAN integration: Analysts say Timor-Leste’s ASEAN role is opening doors for investment, infrastructure and human capital as the bloc pushes Community Vision 2045. Tourism workforce: Dili’s Ministry of Tourism launched a free Timor-Leste Tourism Ambassador Programme (June 1–2) training 59 participants, targeting about 300 more from July–September to lift service quality. Digital public services: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl to advance digital verification and socio-economic growth. Regional policy focus: ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in Hanoi (June 9–10) is set to shape peace, prosperity and people-centred development, with business and youth invited into the agenda.

Tourism Skills Push: Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Tourism launched the Timor-Leste Tourism Ambassador Programme, a free one-day certified training starting June 1-2 at the Dili Convention Centre, with 59 participants; a July–September phase targets about 300 people to boost customer service, professionalism, and destination knowledge. Diplomacy & Regional Integration: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will visit Vietnam and attend ASEAN Future Forum 2026 (June 9-10), as both countries look to deepen trade in telecoms, digital transformation, agriculture, energy, and HR. ASEAN Benefits & Policy Alignment: President José Ramos-Horta told ERIA that full ASEAN membership is already accelerating infrastructure and investment, while Timor-Leste works to align laws with ASEAN treaties ahead of 2029. Digital Government Upgrade: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl to advance digital public services, supported by a Cambodia cooperation framework. Foreign Affairs Warning: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Timor-Leste to avoid statements that could harm Myanmar’s image, after remarks by President Ramos-Horta drew Myanmar’s complaint. Energy & Offshore Progress: Finder Energy submitted the EIS and field development plan for the KTJ oil fields in the Timor Sea, moving the project through approvals.

Digital Government: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl in Dili, a national document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using QR-based proof of authenticity to improve public service delivery and transparency. ASEAN & Trade Links: Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão will visit Vietnam (June 7–10) and attend the ASEAN Future Forum, with both sides pushing deeper cooperation in telecoms, digital transformation, agriculture, energy and skills—building on Viettel’s Telemor network. Regional Leadership: President José Ramos-Horta told ERIA in Jakarta that full ASEAN membership is already accelerating infrastructure and investment, while Timor-Leste prepares to align laws ahead of its 2029 ASEAN chair priorities. Energy & Investment Pipeline: Finder Energy advanced Timor Sea development work for the KTJ project, submitting its EIS and field development plan, while Amplus issued an invitation to tender for redeploying the Petrojarl I FPSO. Foreign Affairs: Timor-Leste’s Foreign Ministry urged restraint after remarks by President Ramos-Horta on Myanmar drew criticism from Myanmar, citing ASEAN non-interference principles.

Digital Government: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using QR-based authenticity checks to cut fraud and speed up public service delivery. ASEAN & Trade Links: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will visit Vietnam and attend the ASEAN Future Forum (June 7–10), with both sides pushing deeper cooperation in telecoms, digital transformation, agriculture, energy and skills. Regional Diplomacy: Timor-Leste’s Foreign Ministry urged the country to avoid statements that could harm Myanmar’s image, after remarks by President Ramos-Horta were viewed by Myanmar as violating ASEAN’s non-interference principles. Energy & Investment Pipeline: Finder Energy reported progress on Timor Sea oil field development, submitting the EIS and field development plan for the KTJ project, while related FPSO redeployment work moves ahead. Jobs & Welfare: DSWD 7 continued cash aid payouts for transport and delivery workers, offering a one-time grant to offset fuel-price impacts. Food & Exports: A new shipment of live eels from Davao to China highlights growing rural export trade, with volumes adjusted to available air cargo space.

Digital Government & Transparency: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl in Dili, a national document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using QR-based authenticity checks to improve public service delivery and reduce fraud. Regional Diplomacy & Peacebuilding: President José Ramos-Horta told ERIA in Jakarta that Timor-Leste’s reconciliation experience can support ASEAN’s development, while also stressing dialogue over confrontation in regional flashpoints. ASEAN Membership Push: Ramos-Horta said full ASEAN membership is already accelerating Timor-Leste’s infrastructure and investment plans, with legal alignment targeted before the country’s 2029 ASEAN chairship. Maritime Dispute Watch: Cambodia moved to trigger compulsory UNCLOS conciliation against Thailand over overlapping maritime claims, citing a Timor-Leste–Australia precedent as a model for lawful dispute resolution. Energy & Offshore Development: Finder Energy reported progress on the KTJ Project in the Timor Sea, submitting the EIS and field development plan as approvals advance.

Digital Government: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national portal to verify government documents using a QR-based authenticity model, built with technical support from Cambodia under a 2025 digital transformation MoU. Regional Integration & Investment: President José Ramos-Horta said full ASEAN membership is already speeding up Timor-Leste’s infrastructure and investment pipeline, while the country works to align laws with ASEAN treaties ahead of the 2029 rotating chair. Energy & Offshore Development: Finder Energy submitted key documents for the Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) Project in the Timor Sea, advancing the EIS and field development plan through regulatory approval steps. Business & Trade Environment: A week of coverage also points to wider regional economic cooperation themes, including multilateral engagement and infrastructure partnerships that could shape future trade and investment conditions for Timor-Leste. Welfare & Labour Mobility (Australia): A viral report of former Pacific seasonal workers, including people believed to include Timor-Leste nationals, living rough under a Sydney bridge has renewed scrutiny on worker welfare and support systems tied to labour mobility schemes.

Digital Government & Public Services: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national digital document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using a QR-based authenticity model under a 2025 cooperation MoU—aimed at improving transparency and public service delivery. Energy & Oil & Gas: Finder Energy submitted key documents for the Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) Project in the Timor Sea, advancing its EIS and field development plan through approvals, while Amplus Energy issued an invitation to tender for redeploying the Petrojarl I FPSO for the project’s next phase. ASEAN Integration & Investment: President José Ramos-Horta said full ASEAN membership is already accelerating Timor-Leste’s infrastructure and investment push, with legal alignment work targeted to be completed ahead of the country’s 2029 rotating chairship. Regional Security & Diplomacy: At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Ramos-Horta urged a stronger focus on prevention and dialogue over hardware, while broader regional talks highlighted ASEAN centrality amid rising strategic mistrust.

ASEAN Membership Boost: Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta says full ASEAN membership is already speeding up infrastructure and investment, from hotels and conference halls to road expansion and urban renewal, with legal alignment to ASEAN treaties targeted before 2029. Digital Government & Trade Facilitation: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national digital document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using a QR-based authenticity model to strengthen transparency and public service delivery under a 2025 digital transformation cooperation deal. Energy & Offshore Investment: Finder Energy submitted key documents for the Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) oil fields in the Timor Sea, advancing its EIS and field development plan through approvals, while Amplus Energy issued an invitation to tender for redeploying the Petrojarl I FPSO for the project. Regional Security Diplomacy: Ramos-Horta used the Shangri-La Dialogue to argue that prevention and dialogue matter as much as defense spending, warning that missiles and submarines can’t rebuild trust or stop deeper human and economic damage.

Digital Governance: Timor-Leste officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national portal to verify government documents using Cambodia’s verify.gov model with QR-based authenticity, marking a key step in the Jan 2025 Cambodia–Timor-Leste digital cooperation. Offshore Energy: Finder Energy submitted its environmental impact statement and field development plan for the Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) oil fields in the Timor Sea, advancing approvals for a planned development. Regional Security & Diplomacy: At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta argued that prevention and dialogue matter as much as defense spending, while broader talks highlighted ASEAN centrality amid rising geopolitical tensions. Business & Trade Outlook: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed support for the Luzon Economic Corridor, and a US official visit tour includes Timor-Leste, signaling continued focus on Indo-Pacific economic and security cooperation.

Digital Services: Timor-Leste has officially launched verify.gov.tl, a national government document verification portal built with Cambodia’s technical support, using a QR-code based system to confirm the authenticity of public documents—an important step for transparency and smoother public service delivery. Energy & Gas: Questions remain over the destination for Greater Sunrise gas flows, with Woodside saying it is making progress with Timor-Leste under the 2025 cooperation agreement, but declining to say when the LNG project could move forward. Regional Diplomacy: President José Ramos-Horta used the Shangri-La Dialogue to argue for prevention over hardware, and floated a plan to appoint a retired four-star ASEAN general to guide Myanmar peace talks “under a tent” with no preconditions. ASEAN Engagement: ASEAN leaders are preparing for a high-level dialogue with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Kazan on June 17–18, as the bloc balances dialogue partnerships with differing member positions after the Ukraine war. Business Outlook: Sunda Energy outlined a growth push for gas exploration, including Timor-Leste project advancement and a strategy to de-risk acreage before bringing in larger partners for high-impact drilling.

4Ps Fraud Prevention: DSWD-7 held a Family Development Session for 4Ps beneficiaries in Lapu-Lapu City to teach people how to spot and avoid fake investment and lending scams targeting poor households’ cash grants. Regional Security Diplomacy: Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta used the Shangri-La Dialogue to argue that prevention and dialogue matter as much as deterrence, warning that missiles and tanks can’t rebuild trust or stop conflict drivers. ASEAN- Russia Engagement: ASEAN leaders are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on June 17–18, with Timor-Leste included among member states maintaining ties with Moscow as a “dialogue partner.” ASEAN Connectivity & Vietnam Ties: Vietnam’s To Lam met Ramos-Horta in Singapore, highlighting deeper cooperation after Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession and discussing development and institution-building links. Greater Sunrise LNG Outlook: Woodside said it’s making progress with Timor-Leste on the Greater Sunrise cooperation, while declining to say when the LNG project could move forward.

ASEAN Diplomacy: Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta used the Shangri-La Dialogue to push for prevention-first security, arguing missiles and submarines can’t rebuild trust or stop conflict drivers. Regional Defense Deals: India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said Vietnam’s BrahMos missile agreement is already signed (not yet publicly announced) and Indonesia’s is in final stages—highlighting fast-moving defense procurement across ASEAN. ASEAN-Russia Engagement: ASEAN leaders are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan on June 17–18, with Timor-Leste included among member states keeping Moscow as a “dialogue partner” despite UN voting splits. Timor-Leste Budget & Energy: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão tabled the first amendment to the 2026 General State Budget, proposing a US$174.3m national strategic fuel reserve to cushion shocks from volatile global energy markets. Education & Skills: A JICA-backed higher-education push continues to expand Timor-Leste’s engineering capacity, including support for a masters programme launched in 2024.

Defence Trade: India’s Defence Secretary R.K. Singh says a BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam is already signed (though not publicly announced) while talks with Indonesia are in the final stages—values not disclosed, but the Philippines’ earlier USD 375m contract sets the benchmark. Regional Diplomacy & Security: Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta floated a plan to guide Myanmar peace talks with a retired four-star Southeast Asian general, proposing talks “under a tent” for all sides without preconditions. ASEAN Engagement: ASEAN leaders are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in June (Kazan, June 17–18), with Timor-Leste included among member states maintaining Moscow as a dialogue partner despite UN Ukraine votes. Energy & Budget Resilience: Timor-Leste’s government began parliamentary debate on a 2026 budget amendment tied to global energy shocks, including a proposed US$174.3m national strategic fuel reserve. Development & Investment: Ramos-Horta met Vietnam’s President Tô Lâm in Singapore, reinforcing ASEAN ties and economic cooperation; separately, Timor-Leste hosted a youth entrepreneurship and economic cooperation forum. Mining & Exploration: Tivan reported strong initial stream-sediment assay results from its Turiscai project in Timor-Leste, including up to 434 ppm copper and 0.801 ppm gold, with pathfinder elements pointing to porphyry-style potential.

Energy & Trade: Woodside says Greater Sunrise gas could still end up on Australian soil, even as Timor-Leste and Australia keep working under a 2025 cooperation deal to mature the Timor LNG concept—while Woodside avoids timelines as it prioritises other commitments. ASEAN Diplomacy: ASEAN leaders are preparing for a June summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, with Timor-Leste included among member states maintaining Russia as a “dialogue partner” despite differing views on Ukraine. Budget & Energy Security: Timor-Leste’s government has started parliamentary talks on a 2026 General State Budget amendment, citing global energy-market shocks and proposing a US$174.3m national strategic fuel reserve. Regional Business & Integration: Timor-Leste is set to host and participate in regional forums pushing youth entrepreneurship, economic cooperation, and Blue Economy integration into ASEAN. Mining: Tivan reports strong initial copper-gold stream sediment results from its Turiscai project in Timor-Leste, with stage-two prospect-scale work underway. Governance: An extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting reviewed 2026 budget execution, citing procurement-code implementation as a key challenge.

ASEAN Diplomacy: Vietnam’s top leader To Lam met Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta in Singapore, praising Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership and promising continued cooperation on development, institutions and human resources. Budget & Energy Security: Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão kicked off parliamentary talks on the first amendment to the 2026 General State Budget, citing global energy-market shocks and proposing a US$174.3m national strategic fuel reserve to protect stability. Regional Business & Youth: Timor-Leste hosted a regional forum focused on youth entrepreneurship and economic cooperation, positioning the country for deeper trade and skills links across the region. ASEAN-Russia Talks: ASEAN leaders will hold a commemorative summit with Russian President Putin in June, with East Timor listed among member states attending. Tourism Infrastructure: Timor-Leste broke ground on a new International Convention Centre in Dili, aimed at boosting events and tourism ahead of the 2029 ASEAN Chairmanship. Mining & Investment Signals: Tivan reported strong initial stream-sediment assay results from its Turiscai project in Timor-Leste, including copper and gold anomalies, as stage-two exploration ramps up. Governance & Delivery: An extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting reviewed 2026 budget execution, noting execution at 30% as of May 26 and highlighting procurement-capacity challenges.