Díli, 21 mar (Lusa) — O Prémio Nobel da Paz José Ramos-Horta apelou hoje ao Governo timorense para que aprove um pacote de assistência às vítimas do ciclone Idai em Moçambique.

“Timor-Leste tem que ajudar. Acredito que o Governo o vai fazer”, disse à Lusa o ex-Presidente timorense, afirmando que muitos cidadãos, incluindo ele próprio, estão a dar um contributo.

“Quer Xanana Gusmão [antigo Presidente], quer o primeiro-ministro, Taur Matan Ruak, são extremamente sensíveis a esta situação e tenho a certeza que vai haver uma manifestação de apoio concreto a Moçambique”, disse Ramos-Horta, que pediu apoios para Moçambique na sua página na rede social Facebook.

José Ramos-Horta disse que vai entregar, durante o dia, uma contribuição pessoal à ex-deputada da Fretilin Nurima Alkatiri, nascida em Maputo, que está a liderar uma recolha de apoios em Timor-Leste.

“Enquanto cidadão ainda hoje vou entregar a minha contribuição pessoal a Nurima Alkatiri, que está a coordenar a mobilização de amigos timorenses e outros residentes em Timor-Leste para apoio a Moçambique”, disse.

“A situação é de partir o coração e não podemos ficar alheios. Mesmo que a nossa ajuda seja uma gota de água naquele oceano de lágrimas e de destruição, todas as pequenas contribuições do mundo vão ajudar a salvar muitos”, afirmou.

Na mensagem divulgada no Facebook, José Ramos-Horta lembrou o apoio dado por Moçambique a Timor-Leste, durante o período da resistência timorense à ocupação indonésia.

“Eles ajudaram-nos durante os nossos longos anos negros. Somos muito pobres, temos muitas necessidades. Mas a solidariedade é maior e mais sentida, mais genuína, quando partilhamos o prato de arroz ou mandioca que temos na mesa”, escreveu.

Em mensagens divulgadas nos últimos dias, Nurima Alkatiri indicou que amigos de Moçambique estão “a juntar as suas contribuições” e “ajudar as vitimas do ciclone Idai”.

O objetivo é canalizar o apoio para o Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Calamidades moçambicano, acrescentou.

A passagem do ciclone Idai em Moçambique, Malaui e Zimbabué provocou mais de 350 mortos, segundo balanços provisórios divulgados pelos respetivos governos desde segunda-feira.

O Presidente de Moçambique, Filipe Nyusi, anunciou na terça-feira que mais de 200 pessoas morreram e 350 mil “estão em situação de risco”, tendo decretado o estado de emergência nacional.

Moçambique cumpre hoje o segundo de três dias de luto nacional.

A Cruz Vermelha Internacional indicou que pelo menos 400.000 pessoas estão desalojadas na Beira, considerando que se trata da “pior crise” do género em Moçambique.

O Idai, com fortes chuvas e ventos de até 170 quilómetros por hora, atingiu a Beira (centro de Moçambique) na quinta-feira à noite, deixando os cerca de 500 mil residentes na quarta maior cidade do país sem energia e linhas de comunicação.

No Zimbabué, as autoridades contabilizaram pelo menos 100 mortos e centenas de desaparecidos, enquanto no Malaui as únicas estimativas conhecidas apontam para pelo menos 56 mortos e 577 feridos.

Os donativos internacionais para ajuda de emergência atribuídos desde segunda-feira aos três países afetados pelo ciclone Idai ascendem já a pelo menos 52,5 milhões de euros.

Buenos Aires, 21 mar (Lusa) — Portugal fará com a Argentina em Timor-Leste a sua primeira Cooperação Triangular fora de África, disse hoje à agência Lusa a Secretária de Estado dos Negócios Estrangeiros e da Cooperação, Teresa Ribeiro.

“Temos um novo projeto. Estamos em vésperas de assinar com a Argentina um memorando de entendimento na área da comunicação social em Timor-Leste. Mais uma vez, vamos avançar com um país da América Latina e com um país da CPLP [Comunidade dos Países da Língua Portuguesa], mas, desta vez, pela primeira vez fora de África”, disse Teresa Ribeiro.

A governante portuguesa falava à Lusa em Buenos Aires, capital da Argentina, no âmbito da II Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre a Cooperação Sul-Sul.

Portugal inaugura, assim, uma nova fase na sua história de Cooperações Triangulares nas quais dois países unem-se para cooperar com um terceiro.

O acordo será assinado nas próximas semanas, assim que os três países coordenarem a agenda.

“Vamos fazê-lo muito rapidamente”, assegurou a secretária de Estado portuguesa.

Já Lusa Ana Ciuti, diretora de Cooperação Internacional do Ministério das Relações Exteriores da Argentina, destacou que “Portugal tem muita tradição em Timor-Leste”.

“É um país integrante da CPLP e a Argentina é agora um membro observador da CPLP”, declarou.

O projeto prevê capacitar os profissionais timorenses da comunicação social tanto nos ‘media’ tradicionais como nos meios digitais, utilizando as novas tecnologias aplicadas à comunicação.

Timor-Leste não será, contudo, o único país fora de África com que Portugal terá uma Cooperação Triangular. A ação conjunta com a Argentina prevê triangulações com um terceiro país da América Latina, região onde os argentinos têm experiência.

“Nesse caso, será a primeira triangulação de Portugal com um destinatário final na América Latina. Portugal tem cooperação direta com países da América Latina, como Argentina e Colômbia, mas como cooperação triangular, de facto, será a primeira vez”, explicou a secretária de Estado Teresa Ribeiro, que não revelou o país beneficiário, nem o setor em que será desenvolvida a cooperação.

Segundo a governante portuguesa, é uma possibilidade em estudo, justificando a recusa em antecipar o país por decorrerem negociações.

“Mas posso dizer que é uma preocupação de Portugal diversificar as nossas cooperações para outras geografias que não seja apenas aquela que era a tradicional de Portugal”, indicou.

The Civil Society Support Office under the Prime Minister’s Office has offered close to 78,000 books in Portuguese, to institutions, organizations, libraries, universities and other public and private education institutions and museums throughout the country.

The books, donated to Timor-Leste by the Portuguese National Mint, were distributed between the 6th of September and 6th of October at the premises of the Timor-Leste Non-Governmental Organizations Forum (FONGTIL), to about 130 entities. The offer also extended to the general public, where the organization distributed books to more than 300 individuals, especially students.

Joaquim da Costa Freitas, Coordinator of the Civil Society Support Office under the Prime Minister’s Office, highlighted the “immense interest, happiness and the fondness of enjoying books. Many people referred that otherwise they would have no chance of having them. It was a very gratifying and unforgettable experience!”

The Coordinator of the Office of Civil Society Support of the Office of the Prime Minister thanked the public for their adherence to this initiative and the entities that supported the initiative, namely the Portuguese National Mint, the Portuguese Embassy, the Orient Foundation (in Portuguese “Fundação Oriente”), the Haburas Foundation, FONGTIL, and the Legal Support Unit of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

Photos available at: http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=18900&n=1&lang=en

Mónica Oliveira Costa, on the October edition of Digital Health Legal journal, the proposal of the European Regulation on the free flow of non-personal data and its impact on digital health sector.

Read the article »

The President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, swore in 20 members of the SeventhConstitutional Government, led by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, at a ceremony held on the 3rdOctober at President Nicolau Lobato Palace in Dili.

Those sworn in atthe ceremony were: the Minister of State and Minister for Mineral Resources, Mariano Assanami Sabino; the Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister for the Delimitation of Borders, Hermenegildo Augusto Cabral Pereira; the Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister for Governance Affairs, José Maria dos Reis; the Minister of Education and Culture, Fernando Hanjam; the Minister of Petroleum, Hernani Filomena Coelho da Silva; the Deputy Minister for Development of Public Works, Mariano Renato Monteiro da Cruz; the Deputy Minister for Development of Housing, Planning and Environment, Abrão Gabriel Santos Oliveira; the Deputy Minister for Development of Transport and Communications, Inácio Freitas Moreira; the Deputy Minister of State Administration, José Anuno; the Deputy Minister of Education and Culture, José António de Jesus das Neves; the Deputy Minister of Health, Luís Maria Ribeiro Freitas Lobato; the Deputy Minister of Justice, Sebastião Dias Ximenes; the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jacinto Gusmão; the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Deolindo Silva; the Secretary of State for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Laura Menezes Lopes; the Secretary of State of Agriculture and Fisheries, Cipriano Esteves Doutel Ferreira; the Secretary of State of the Council of Ministers and of Social Communication, Matias Freitas Boavida; the Secretary of State for Sport and Promotion of Top-Level Sport, Osório Florindo da Conceição Costa; the Secretary of State for Youth and Labour, Nivio Leite Magalhães; and the Secretary of State for Veterans, André da Costa Belo.

These 21 members will join the Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri and the 11 other Government members who have previously taken office on September 15th, at the Lahane Presidential Palace in Dili.

Photos available at: http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=18838&n=1&lang=en

Felix Majani comments the new legal regime governing and regulating employment contract of the sports practitioner, sports training contract as well as representatives and agents approved by the Law 54/2017 that came into force July 19, 2017.

Read the article »

João Sequeira Marcelino and Ana Carolina Santos comment the decision of the Constitutional Court of 24 of May of 2017 that establishes that a Defendant may oppose to the Claimant the nullity or invalidity of patents of generic medicines with mere inter partes effects.

Read the article »

The Minister of State, Coordinator of Economic Affairs (MECAE) and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP), Estanislau Aleixo da Silva met with the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, to advise on the work carried out by his offices during the last two and a half years.

In a meeting held at the Presidential Palace, on July 7th, the Minister first explained the links between MECAE’s Office and the services and institutions under his coordination. It is an extensive ministry, covering areas and sectors like Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism, Manufacturing, Mining, Civil Aviation, and Business Environment, among others. The interventions in all of them fit into the overall objective of the Government of reducing the dependence on revenues from oil and gas.

The Minister highlighted the writing and reviewing of legislation related to economic activities, in particular the Company Law and the Private Investment Law. There was also a great effort from the Government to have Timor-Leste join the World Trade Organization (WTO), with a submission of a Memorandum on Foreign Trade to the Director-General of the WTO, which enables Timor-Leste to commence negotiations for accession to this multilateral trade organization. Timor-Leste was granted observer status of the WTO in December 2016. edit 3

The MECAE-MAF also informed the President of the Republic about coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation regarding the process of Timor-Leste’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Regarding the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries he highlighted the legal texts drafted and approved. He also advised on the activities performed in the last two and a half years, such as the planting of sandalwood and teak, the rehabilitation of coffee plantations in the Municipalities of Ermera and Liquiçá, and the development of aquaculture, with support given to small groups of beneficiaries through State subsidies supporting tilapia farming.

He ended emphasizing the support given to the rehabilitation of irrigation system in places such as Oebaba in Covalima, Raibere in Ainaro, Caraulun in Manufahi, Larisula in Baucau and Buluto in Laleia.

Photos available at: http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=18411&n=1&lang=en

During the last week of June a round of discussions was organized by the Legislative Reform and Justice Sector Commission (CRL) where the main conclusions of a diagnosis on commercial Law and on conflict resolution through formal and informal justice were presented. The diagnosis was produced after a wide ranging investigation and consultations with Justice Sector institutions, and local, community and traditional administrative entities.

“A Reform Proposal for Commercial Law in Timor-Leste” was the theme of the first session, held on June 22nd. President Jorge Graça and Legal Adviser Georgie McArthur pointed out the need forcomercial-2 clearer, simpler, fuller, more consistent and, consequently, more practical conclusions and recommendations for entrepreneurs in Timor-Leste dealing with matters such as the company and the commercial register, traders’ general obligations, commercial contracts, managers’ duties and commercial companies. Professor Mary Keyes, Deputy Head of Griffith University in Australia, addressed commercial contracts from a comparative perspective.

On the 27th of June a session was conducted on “A policy of conflict resolution centred on society – informal Justice”. Researchers from the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra (CES) and CRL technicians presented empirical data resulting from the CRL investigations. University professors attended the first debate panel on “Conflict resolution within the Timorese society: socio-anthropological, historical and political perspectives”.

Representatives of Civil Society and communities attended the second panel and discussed “Cultural, economic and geographical proximity Justice – what challenges and opportunities?” Representatives of Government institutions and of the judicial sector attended the third and final panel of the day, “The role of the Timorese State in conflict resolution and mediation: present and future”.

On the 28th and the 29th of June the discussions concerned the theme “For a policy of conflict resolution centred on society – Formal Justice”, where the main empirical data resulting from the current research by the CRL was presented. Conclusions and recommendations were presented regarding the quality and efficiency of judicial bodies, judicial mapping and organization, administration and management of the judiciary system, recruitment and training, Criminal justice, criminal procedure, access to the Law and to the courts, and the preliminary assessment of the enforcement of the Law against Domestic Violence.

In July, the CRL will hold technical meetings on the reforms of the Legislative Process at Government level, and on the Civil Code on matrimonial, and land and property matters (socio-juridical study on legislation).

During its period of office, the CRL has already received input from more than 800 individuals and organizations, and is completing 11 studies and proposals: Legislative process – Government;formal-1 legislation on substantive criminal law; formal Justice: Judicial Tribunals, criminal procedural law, Law against Domestic Violence; informal Justice; Commercial legislation; family / marriage; land and property; institutional and legislative options for reform; gathering of sectoral legislation; legislative analysis; Legislative Reform and the Justice Sector public policy proposal and strategy.

The meetings conducted in June brought together experts from the area of ??Justice, Government representatives, officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (CAC), courts, scholars, civil society, banking institutions, businessmen and lawyers.

Photos available at: http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=18330&n=1&lang=en

A ceremony to inaugurate the Suai Airport, conducted on the 20th of June, marks the completion of a major infrastructure project set to support national development. The airport, located in the municipality of Covalima and about 15 kilometres from the town of Suai, includes a 1,500-metre runway and new airside and landside facilities.

The President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres, officially cut the ribbon and signed the inauguration plaque to open the “Commander in Chief of FALINTIL, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, International Airport”. This occasion also honored the 71st birthday of Minister Gusmão, who commended the airport as an outstanding project that would create investment, opportunities and jobs.

The ceremony included welcoming remarks given by the Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communication, H.E. Gastão de Sousa, and the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, H.E. Alfredo Pires. The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, H.E. Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo was in attendance along with other representatives of the Government, members of National Parliament, Veterans, Clergy, Local Leaders and Officials. The airport was blessed by the Bishop of Maliana, Don Norberto do Amaral.

The facilities include a new terminal building, control tower, fire station, meteorological station and a helipad with Medivac air ambulance facilities. The need to extend and refurbish the old Suai runway and build new modern facilities was identified in the national Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030.

The airport allows for increased national connectivity and will promote the ongoing development of the South Coast by supporting activities related to petroleum and minerals, agriculture and tourism. It will also assist in the delivery of services in areas such as health and security. This facility and associated development in the South Coast reflect the Government’s commitment to support growth throughout the territory of Timor-Leste.

Spokesperson, Minister of State Agio Pereira, noted “the inauguration of the ‘Commander in Chief of FALINTIL, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, International Airport’ is an example of a major project, constructed with quality in a timely fashion. We congratulate the Ministries involved and Timor Gap E.P. for their role. This facility serves immediate needs on the South Coast, supports ongoing development and will be key to realizing the growth potential of the region.”.