Timor-Leste intends to open a consular agency in the UK

Minister Zacarias da Costa

Timor-Leste has advised the United Kingdom of its intention to open a Consular Agency attached to the Consulate of Portugal in Manchester, UK.

Timor-Leste Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Zacarias Albano da Costa, advised the UK’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste of the intention during a meeting outside the Forum of Democracy in Bali, Indonesia.

There are around three thousand East-Timorese with Portuguese nationality living in United Kingdom, mainly in Northern Ireland, Manchester and Oxford.

“They need support from the Timor-Leste Government,” Dr da Costa said.

“We are moving to open the consular agency to provide that support to our emigrant citizens.”

Other topics discussed during the meeting included the extension of UNMIT, Timor-Leste’s safety situation, economic development, education, and public administration, and Timor-Leste’s bid for membership of ASEAN.

Ambassador Hatfull said that his government would continue to provide scholarships that would enable Timorese students to pursue their studies in the United Kingdom to gain professional expertise and qualification needed to help Timor-Leste move forward.