Australia Increases Contributions To Timor-Leste

The Australian Government is scaling up its cooperation aid to Timor-Leste and has signed a AUS1.5 million agreement with the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) aimed at supporting the country’s new National Parliament.

The agreement, negotiated by Australian Counsellor for Development Cooperation Robin Scott-Charlton, will strengthen UNDP’s technical expertise and advice to the newly elected National Parliament in the areas of budgetary oversight, law-making, representation and dialogue with the people, gender mainstreaming and capacity development.

“The role of a parliament in a democratic system is vital. As the peoples’ representative, it performs critical legislative and oversight functions, providing a system of checks and balances,” stressed Finn Reske-Nielsen, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Dili, thanking the Australian Government for its continued support to the UNDP since 2001. "The additional contribution of Australia will indeed go a long way in enhancing our common objectives.”

The generous support of Australia has been paramount to the success of UNDP’s activities in the country. The current project, which will run until 2009, facilitates and implements orientation programmes for newly-elected Members of Parliament and train them in order to fully assume their parliamentary duties.

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