The third international conference on Small Island Developing States was held in Apia from 1 to 4 September 2014. Timor-Leste was represented by our former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, H.E. Mr. Constâncio Pinto. As the outcome, the conference adopts “Samoa Pathway”, in which the member states of the organization have agreed to accelerate the modalities to improve the sustainable development, such as follow:
- End Poverty in all its form everywhere
- End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
- Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth full and productive employment and decent work for all
- Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- Reduce inequalities within and among countries
- Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
- Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- Strengthen the means of all implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Timor-Leste’s commitment in implementing the Samoa Pathway Agreement
Prior to the Conference, the Government of Timor-Leste has approved and implemented Strategic Development Plan (2011 – 2030) that provides a road map to implement sustainable development that demonstrates the government’s commitment to securing the wellbeing of the Timorese people. In 2013, the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste who joined nine other Head of States in signing the “Implementing the 2013 Agenda for Sustainable Development: A call to action”.
Efforts have been made to prioritize the goals for the implementation of Samoa Pathway on Sustainable Development Goals program. In September 2015, the Sixth Constitutional Government through the Council of Ministers passed a resolution No.34/2015, recognizing the importance of the SDG’s, committing to working towards their achievements and establishing a SDG Working Group, led by the Office of Prime Minister. Moreover, Timor-Leste also participated actively in the work that defined the 17 global objectives for sustainable development as mentioned in Samoa Pathway, through the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons, created by the UN, objectives that are in line with the policy as defined in the National Strategic Development Plan 2011 – 2030. Moreover, on November 4th 2015, National Parliament passed a resolution recognizing and committing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Government of Timor-Leste also recognized that peace building and state building are essential foundations for sustainable development and has taken a lead role within the g7+ group of 20 fragile and post-conflict countries by recognizing that peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible. This role provides a good opportunity for the Government of Timor-Leste to promote green economy towards sustainable development and working with other fragile states.
Moreover, in the speech of H.E Prime Minister of RDTL, Dr. Rui Maria Araujo, at the 71st Session of UNGA last year, the Head of the Government has also emphasized the commitment of Timor-Leste’ in implementing the SDG’s in national level and willingness to continue establish friendly relations and cooperation among countries to achieve the goals.
It is evident that the Government of Timor-Leste has been highly committed in implementing the Samoa Pathways Agreement which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals at the national and international level.
Timor-Leste considered as a small country in the pacific Island, a as small Island Timor-Leste participate active in the SIDS
Events
- At Our Ocean 2019 we will highlight the importance of knowledge as the basis of our actions and policies to ensure protection of our ocean, responsible management of marine resources and sustainable future economic growth.
- The conference will bring together leaders from governments, businesses, civil society and research institutions to share their experience, identify solutions and commit to action for a clean, healthy and productive ocean. The Government of Timor-Leste full participated at this conference that hell in Oslo, Norway.
- H.E Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Julião da Silva and Cooperation and H.E Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries H.E and the Delegation of Government of RDRL will participated at the Our Ocean conference from 11 to 13 April 2022, in Palau.
- In June 2022 will be 7 our conference in Lisbon, Portugal Timor-Leste.
- As the small island Timor-Leste also co-founder for the Pacific Island Development Forum and Pacific Island Forum.
- Timor-Leste become a full member of PIDF and annually must be making an annual contribution as the member and Timor-Leste’s position for PIF as an especial Observer member.
- The other side Timor-leste participated the Archipelagic Island States Forum that held in November 2019, in Manado. The forum agreed upon by island and archipelagic countries from all over the world is an initiative of the Indonesian government coordinated by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and UNDP since 2017.
- Through an agreement at the ministerial level, the AIS Forum Secretariat has been formed based in Indonesia to prepare various collaboration plans and other AIS Forum activities. The AIS forum is designed as an open, inclusive forum that will become a node of cooperation and concrete collaboration between island and archipelagic countries around the world.
4 main areas of cooperation in the development and marine sector
Blue Economy implementation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, marine pollution control, marine and maritime governance.