1. 1 | “Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources”
Supporting Statement to the Speech of His Excellency the Prime Ministry of
the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Mr. Rui Maria de Araújo
“Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources”
By Lucas Serrão Lopes, Student of the Master in Tourism Economics and Regional
Development, University of Algarve, Portugal
His Excellency Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Mr. Rui
Maria de Araújo, at the swearing ceremony for the VI Constitutional Government of
Timor-Leste, 16 February 2015, has expressed that the national budget has to be used
effectively for the improvement of both national infrastructure and human
resources.
The recent inundations in the capital Dili (3 March, 2015) show the need to invest in
infrastructures. Therefore, I would like to contribute this article to reinforce the
message of His Excellency the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste: “The Special Funds,
that is the infrastructure Fund and the Human Capital Development Fund,
contributed to the improvement of key national infrastructure and human
resources” (Tempo Semanal RDTL, 2015).
Timor-Leste needs to increase the human resources in order to support better quality
development for the fundamental sectors, through both formal and informal
education. The government of Timor-Leste has offered many scholarships to study
and training abroad. This is an important measure for the development of our
country. However, these scholarships should be attributed based on the real needs of
the country.
The strategic plan of the Ministry of Education of Timor-Leste 2011-2030 sets as its
overall objective: Graduates of the higher education system will have the advanced
skills and knowledge to analyze, design, build and maintain the social and economic
infrastructure of Timor‐Leste. However, our country has completed twelve years of
independency and the physical development has been moved very slowly.
His Excellency the Prime Minister has been seriously concerned about the
“Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources” which is
according to the emergency needs of Timor-Leste at this stage. The infrastructures in
Dili are a major source of concern, in particular the community is frequently threaten
by heavy inundations during in the raining season.

2. 2 | “Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources”
Timor-Leste has identified many priorities, but some are more important than
others. For example, the development of infrastructures and human resources are
fundamental for Timor-Leste. The human resources to facilitate the basic systems
and services are needed and road extension and transportation management should
be developed and organized in order to support the economic activities more
effectively.
In relation to the top priorities, increasing human resources in “urban planning” is
very important at this point. The goal of urban planning is to ensure welfare of the
people and their communities by creating convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient,
and attractive environments for present and future generations (Agenda 21). The
urban planning is an urgent need for Timor-Leste to reorganize housing in the city of
Dili, as it is the capital of the country and not a capital of a province anymore. Dili
should be planned and managed in order to support the Tourism Sector as one of
the crucial sectors for the economic growth besides Petroleum.
Moreover, the urban planning is going to support the organization of the cities and
municipalities. Agenda 21 has declared that the overall human settlement objective
is to improve the social, economic and environmental quality of human settlements
and the living and working environments of all people, in particular the urban and
rural poor. For instance, the birth rate in Timor-Leste has been increasing, but the
population and resources including the economic activities are not equally
distributed because most of the businesses are located in Dili. Urban planning is one
of the most imperative tools for Timor-Leste to solve this existing problem.
The urban planning is important not only to support the strategic plan in Dili, but is
also going to support the management other cities in the regions more attractive and
fashionable for tourism. Timor-Leste is a lucky nation because it has petroleum as a
principal resource to be effectively used for its development and the future
generations. Based on the National Strategic Plan 2011-2030, Tourism is a
fundamental sector to develop in order to support the economic growth because
petroleum is going to be end sometime in the future.
The vision of the prosperity of the people and the nation should be reached also
through the tourism development. Therefore, the main objective for both
government and tourism industry is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations
of visitors through market driven tourism development (Effects, Tourism, Culture, &
Environment, 1995). Timor-Leste should be proud because it has many touristic
resources, such as cultural and environmental. Therefore, human resources should
be developed in the tourism sector, as the engine to produce a high quality and
competitive tourism product.

3. 3 | “Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources”
Following is my personal background:
 The United Nation Missions in Timor-Leste from 1999-2004 as the sub-district
administrator for the local government.
 Foreign activity as a scholarship recipient from the State Department of the
United States of America from the end of 2004 – December 2007 in the field of
International Relations and Diplomacy.
 The IV Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste from 1 January 2008 – 8
August 2012 as the Chief of Staff at the Office of the Secretary of State for
Culture, Ministry of Education
 The V Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste from 9 August 2012- 30
September 2013 as the National Executive Adviser of the International Relations
at the Office of the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, Ministry of Tourism
 Foreign activity as a scholarship recipient from the Ministry of Education from
15 November 2013 till present day at the University of Algarve, Portugal under
the Master Program of Tourism Economic and Regional Development.
Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the valuable discussion and courage to write this article
1. Mr. António Pedro Belo, Mestrado em Energia e Climatização de Edifícios,
Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Universidade do Algarve, Portugal, to the
ideas expressed and inspired me to write this article.
2. Mr. Noemio Mateus Soares Falcão, Manager Produsaun Journal Timor-Post
3. Mr. Gil Horcio Boavida, Coordenador Geral Rede Hasatil (hametin
Agricultura Sustentavel) for the update condition about the capital of Dili
after raining one and half hour, 3 March 2015.
References:
Tempo Semanal RDTL, 16 February. (2015). Speech of the new Prime Minister of
RDTL on the occasion of the swearing VI Constitutional Government of Timor-
Leste, 1–11.
Ministry, E. of. (2011). The National Education Strategic Plan Timor-Leste 2011-2030.
Janerio, R. De. (1992). United Nations Conference on Environment & Development
Rio de Janerio , Brazil , 3 to 14 June 1992, (June).
Rt, P. A., & Uction, I. (2011). National Strategy Plan for Timor-Leste 2011-2030.

4. 4 | “Improvement of key national infrastructure and human resources”
Effects, T. H. E., Tourism, O. F., Culture, O. N., & Environment, T. H. E. (1995). CASE
STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM ON CULTURE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.