Two-year cooperation will focus on planning, management, sustainability and institutional capacity building in the infrastructure sector
PORTUGAL, 18 August 2026 – The Ministry of Planning and Strategic Investment (MPIE) of Timor-Leste and IP Engenharia, I.P. have signed a Cooperation Protocol on infrastructure, with a two-year duration, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and cooperation in infrastructure planning, management and sustainability.
The Cooperation Protocol was signed by the Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment, Gastão Francisco de Sousa, and IP Engenharia Board Member Maria Amália, in the presence of Portugal’s Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Pinto, during a ceremony held at the Union of Parishes of Almada, Portugal, on Tuesday, 18 August.
A new step towards infrastructure development
Minister Gastão Francisco de Sousa said that the signing of the Cooperation Protocol represents a new step in the development of the infrastructure sector in Timor-Leste.
According to the Minister, Timor-Leste has made significant efforts in recent years to construct and rehabilitate public infrastructure. The current challenge, however, is to consolidate these investments through better planning, clearer investment priorities and sustainable management of existing infrastructure.
“The challenge now is to consolidate our investments, plan better, identify more carefully where to invest, and ensure that what we have already built is properly managed and preserved. This shift from construction towards planning, management and sustainability is at the heart of the Protocol,” said Minister Gastão.
He added that one of MPIE’s priorities is to strengthen investment and ensure that decisions continue to be based on sound economic and technical criteria.
Diversifying infrastructure financing
The cooperation also forms part of Timor-Leste’s efforts to diversify sources of infrastructure financing, recognizing that the country’s infrastructure needs cannot rely solely on the General State Budget (GSB).
Minister Gastão further highlighted that the Cooperation Protocol includes a legal component, with a particular focus on developing the legal framework for the road sector.
“We are pleased that this cooperation also covers the legal dimension, focusing on the development of the legal framework for the road sector. We want to ensure legal certainty and institutions with the capacity to effectively implement the law,” he added.
Training and institutional capacity building
The cooperation programme is not limited to conducting studies, developing legislation or preparing methodologies. Its main objective is to strengthen institutional capacity through training programmes, which will be conducted both in Timor-Leste and Portugal.
The training activities are expected to contribute to the development and strengthening of Timor-Leste’s human resources, particularly professionals working in the infrastructure sector.
Minister Gastão also emphasized the importance of cooperation with Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) and IP Engenharia, given their extensive experience and technical expertise in the infrastructure sector.
The cooperation is also considered particularly relevant in the context of Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN.
Officials attend the signing ceremony
Also attending the signing ceremony were Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Portugal, Manuel Serrano; MPIE Principal Adviser, Julio Tomas Pinto; Adviser Maria Roussal; and Director-General of MPIE’s National Directorate of Territorial Planning, Roger Tertuliano Belo.
The Cooperation Protocol is expected to provide an important foundation for strengthening cooperation between Timor-Leste and Portugal in the infrastructure sector through the sharing of experience, capacity building and the promotion of an approach focused on planning, management and the long-term sustainability of national infrastructure.
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