(AseanAll)  — Mariano Assanami Sabino, in his capacity as Acting Timor-Leste Prime Minister, met on September 8th, 2026 at the Government Palace in Dili with the Chief Minister of Australia’s Northern Territory, Lia Finocchiaro, during her first official visit to Timor-Leste, to discuss strengthening cooperation, with a focus on vocational training, employment, and labour mobility.

At the meeting, both parties reaffirmed the historical ties and friendship between Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory and discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation across human capital development, vocational training, employment, education and higher education, health, economic opportunities, institutional links, and connectivity.

The Acting Prime Minister highlighted the Government's priority on human resource training and capacity building, as well as the creation of job opportunities for young people, including through access to employment in the Northern Territory.

“We are particularly focused on the Northern Territory because it is closer to Timor-Leste,” said Mariano Assanami Sabino, who also highlighted the potential for cooperation to “mobilise our young people” and to create new professional opportunities.

Lia Finocchiaro expressed the Northern Territory Government’s readiness to deepen cooperation on skills development and workforce expansion. The Australian official noted that projected economic growth in the Northern Territory is expected to increase demand for skilled workers across sectors including natural resources, energy, construction, infrastructure, defence, tourism, and health.

“Timor-Leste is not simply our neighbour – it is a long-standing friend and partner of the Territory,” said Lia Finocchiaro. “Our relationship is built on deep connections among our peoples, institutions, and communities, and the Strategic Partnership provides a solid framework to take this relationship further.”

Cooperation between the two parties is governed by the Strategic Partnership Agreement between Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory for 2023–2027, which covers areas such as education, business and the workforce, trade and investment, tourism, emergency preparedness, agriculture, health, sports, arts, and culture.

The meeting continued the ongoing dialogue on labour mobility between Timor-Leste and the Northern Territory. In May this year, during a visit to Darwin, the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, also discussed with Lia Finocchiaro the possibility of expanding employment opportunities for Timorese citizens, taking into account workforce needs across the Northern Territory’s economy.

Also present at the meeting were the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas; the Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral; the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment, Rogério Araújo Mendonça; and the Consul-General of Timor-Leste in Darwin, Ambassador Amorim Vieira.