The Embassy of RDTL in Brussels is acredited to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union but also covers informally, France and Germany. It focuses its daily work on the cooperation with European Union, but also with other organizations based in Brussels.
European Union
Since its Independence and even before the restoration of independence, the UE has been one of the bigest development partners of Timor-Leste thanks to the lobby practiced by the European Parliament
Further to the political support from the EU, Timor-Leste has benefited from the 9th 10th and now the 11th European Development Fund (EDF)
The European Development Fund supports action on territories and countries still under development with the objective of promoting economic, social and human development as well as regional cooperation.
European Funds under the 11th EDF (2014 – 2020) that Timor-Leste Benefits:
€ 95M for the National Indicative Program (NIP)
€ 166M for the Pacific Regional Program (RIP) shared by the region
€ 30M for the PALOP-TL/EU Program, shared by the region
ACP
The ACP is a group of 79 countries from the regions of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific established by the Georgetown Agreement, signed in 1975. With the exception of Cuba, all countries are also signatory of the Cotonou Agreement also known as ” ACP-EU Partnership Agreement” that links them wit the European Union.
Main objectives of the ACP:
– Sustainable development of its Member-States and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order ;
– Coordination of the activities of the ACP Group in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements;
– Consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples ;
– Establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society;
PACP
The PACP is the Group of ACP Countries from the Pacific Region. They meet regularly in order to discuss common positions on matters related to ACP. They focus particularly under Climate Change since all PACP countries are Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
CPLP
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries has an important paper in Brussels. During Timor-Leste’s presidency, (2014 – 2016) the Embassy of Timor-Leste with the collaboration with other CPLP Embassies in Brussels organized several events, in particular the celebration of the Portuguese Language Day and Culture of the CPLP.
PALOP-TL
The Portuguese-
The Embassy is accredited to Belgium and the European Institutions only, nevertheless due to the presence of our Honorary Consul in Berlin, Mr. Peter Badge and designated Honorary Consul in Paris, Mrs. Carolina Mascarenhas Gonçalves the following cooperation took place:
Germany :
Cooperation with Dr. Braganza, Head of the Department of vascular surgery at St. Martinus Hospital in Olpe, Germany. Dr. Braganza developed volunteer missions at the National Hospital Guido Valadares and Bairro Pite Clinic by training local practitioner with developed new medical techniques. The Embassy has assisted those missions both logistically and financially by sending medical equipment and medicines to Díli, so Dr. Braganza could carry out his mission. in April 2016, he held his 3rd volunteer mission.
The Embassy also carries out sporadic missions to Germany including protocol assistance / assistance to Ministerial visits.
France :
In Paris, the Embassy covers the activities of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). This Intergovernmental Organization has overseen and regulated Universal Expositions since 1931. Timor-Leste is an active member of this Organization and exercises its vote in General Assemblies.
Timor-Leste, small country in the Pacific region, has surprisingly an Olympic athlete in the alpine skiing specialty. Yohan Goutt Gonçalves, a Timorese living in Paris, represents the colors of Timor-Leste at the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The Embassy also accompanies all the Ministerial delegations that travel to Paris. Most recently, we accompanied the delegation of H.E. Dr. José Ramos-Horta to the COP21 conference and the delegation of H.E. Dr. Ivo Valente, Minister of Justice to the OECD.