DILI, 21 July 2023 – The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted the second of four clusters (Cluster II) of Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for Timor-Leste’s Accession to the ASEAN Economic Agreements on 18-20 July in Dili. The Cluster II training marks the first round of training after the adoption of the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN by the ASEAN Leaders in May 2023.
The CBP aims to ramp up Timor-Leste’s readiness to accede to the economic agreements and instruments under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) pillar. Under the programme, ASEC staff from the AEC will be dispatched to Timor-Leste to conduct the four clusters of training. Cluster II focused on providing a deeper understanding of AEC’s’ work among sectoral ministries, with particular reference to the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and its related areas.
Fifty-five officials from Timor-Leste’s various ministries and line agencies participated in the three-day training. In addition, a session with participants from Timor-Leste’s private sector was held to exchange views on their role in the accession process to enable them to effectively participate and benefit from the economic agreements. The programme provided immersive and engaging learning experiences for the participants through interactive discussions on the relevant aspects of the ASEAN economic integration agenda.
Augosto Junior Trindade, Timor-Leste’s Vice-Minister of Commerce, and Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste opened the training. Stefania Dina, Country Director of ADB’s Timor-Leste Resident Mission as well as several ambassadors of ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste were also in attendance.
The ASEC delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Arcanjo da Silva, Executive Director of TradeInvest Timor-Leste and Designated SEOM Lead, to exchange views on the way forward in achieving the milestones of the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN particularly on the coordination of the many line agencies across the AEC pillar.
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