Lafaek News—The President of the Republic, Jose Ramos-Horta, and the team of the President of Indonesia and Governor of Nusa Tenggara Timur – NTT Victor Laiskodat, discussed the creation of a Free Trade Zone and an Industrial Park in the Autonomous Region of Oecusse.

According to the Head of State, his counterpart Joko Widodo preferred that Indonesia support the economy of Timor-Leste, with the support of various entities.

“Both projects, we can say, governments for governments, ⁇ for ⁇ , mean both parties involved, one is the governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste, the other is the private sector of Indonesia and Timor-Leste, so that both projects are Timor-Leste’s beneficiaries, we ourselves must be zealous, moving, mobilising, mobilising the national private sector,” said the Head of State.

The President of the Republic also defended the need for the Indonesian government to support the private sector and ordered the team of the Indonesian state company (Badan Usaha Milik Negara – BUMN) to continue active participation in the development process of Timor-Leste.

According to the Head of State, the Indonesian government delegated the Coordinating Minister Luhut Panjaitan, to lead the creation of the Free Trade Zone and the Industrial Park in the Autonomous Region of Oecusse.

 “The President Joko Widodo was very interesting and motivated, and a delegation from Jakarta came (in Bali) said, President Joko Widodo recently called them and spoke with them and within a week, President Joko Widodo will call me and this evening, speaking to the Coordinating Minister Luhut Panjaitan, he will represent Indonesia to coordinate the project” highlighted the Head of State.

The President of the Republic requested for the Government, especially the Ministry responsible for the project, to discuss the project in detail with Indonesia, because the President of the Republic can do economic diplomacy, but no agreement can be assassinated.

“We must not walk slowly, we are going to join ASEAN, if we are not going, we do not accelerate our economic development process, we fail as ASEAN’s custom, so President Jokowi wants, move and move quickly, to help us and our economy” concluded the Head of State.

 During the visit of the President of the Republic to Indonesia, members of the government who are part of the delegation signed agreements in the agriculture, economy and transport sectors.

Other projects that are still in the discussion phase are supporting the creation of a joint border committee, supporting economic development at the border, creation of a Free Trade Zone and an Industrial Park in the Autonomous Region of Oe-cusse.

 Journalist     : Rita Moniz

Editing          : Agapito de Deus