STATEMENT
BY ESALA NAYASI, PIF DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL
STRATEGIC POLICY AND PROGRAMMING
TIMOR LESTE’S TRADE POLICY FRAMEWORK AND LEGAL GAP ANALYSIS VALIDATION WORKSHOP
Palm Springs Hotel, Dili, 16-18 October, 2024
The Honourable Minister for Commerce and Industry Mr. Nino Pereira
Esteemed Senior Government Officials, Private Sector Representatives, Development Partners, CSOs, ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the Secretary General and the Senior Management Team at the Secretariat - Bom Dia and congratulations on the successful conclusion of developing your Trade Policy Framework and conducting the Legal Gap analysis respectively.
• Permit me to render my apologies for not being able to attend the workshop in person to deliver my statement, owing to other urgent work-related matters that coincided with the dates of the workshop, requiring my attention.
• However, it is an honour to address you during this important convening that sets to shape Timor Leste’s Trade and Investment landscape particularly as you prepare to accede to the Interim EPA and further with implementation of your obligations in the WTO.
• I further extend our appreciation to our partners the European Union (EU) for their financial support through the PIFS-EU SPIRIT Programme that has provided oversight to this activity and we look forward to a stronger continued partnership importantly for the implementation of the Trade Policy Framework.
• The next few days are critical for Timor Leste in terms of the direction the expected deliberations will take in particular the alignment of Timor Lestes Socio-Economic goals to the objectives of Vision 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent importantly People -Centred Development.
• I wish to draw members to our just concluded Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga, where our Leaders reiterated the importance of targeted assistance within the existing work programmes of Pacific Regional Organizations in collaboration with development partners and international agencies to support SIS priorities including in the areas of economic development amongst others .
• As your Secretariat we are keen on adopting a ‘whole-of-stakeholder’ approach in this process to ensure the Policy is durable and a true reflection of Timor Leste’s priority areas.
• It is important to change our perspectives on Trade not just as a conduit of greater market access but as a partnership between nations and as platform to advance common critical socio-economic issues such as climate change, gender, security and greater regional integration.
• Today’s validation workshop approach is an accurate reflection of our key strategic pathways of the Vision 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent importantly inclusion, equity, partnership and cooperation.
• Thank you for your commitment and active participation, I wish you fruitful and insightful deliberations.
• Obrigado
