The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Timor-Leste, Honourable Francisco da Costa Monteiro, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Honourable Jeremiah Manele, MP, this week.
Minister Monteiro was accompanied by the Secretary-General of the g7+ (read as G-7- plus), Dr Helder da Costa. The g7+ is a voluntary association of countries that are fragile or affected by conflict.
During the meeting, Minister Monteiro expressed Timor-Leste’s interest in sharing its experiences in the minerals sector with Solomon Islands, leveraging the bilateral relationship between the two countries. He noted that, like Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste is rich in natural resources, making it only fitting for both nations to exchange experiences and best practices.
Dr Helder da Costa emphasized the importance of international cooperation, particularly the value of presenting a unified voice in global forums. He further called for revolutionary transformation within the g7+, with a focus on country-level initiatives, and highlighted the need for greater representation and influence for the group in the United Nations Security Council.
In response, Prime Minister Manele welcomed the idea of sectoral collaboration and stated that for progress to be made in the mining sector, a formal Development Cooperation Framework between Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste must first be established.
He added that, in the absence of such a framework, relevant ministries from both governments could still collaborate on matters of mutual interest. The Prime Minister also identified agriculture, particularly coffee farming, as another potential area of cooperation, noting Timor-Leste’s strong reputation in coffee production.
Additionally, PM Manele proposed exploring a visa waiver arrangement for diplomatic passport holders, similar to those Solomon Islands maintains with other bilateral partners.
On the topic of the g7+, the Prime Minister acknowledged Solomon Islands’ upcoming chairmanship of the organization in 2026. He expressed anticipation for the formal handover of the role during the margins of the United Nations General Assembly later this year.
PM Manele also assured that Solomon Islands will ratify the g7+ Charter once the Cabinet has reviewed it through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
During the meeting, Minister Monteiro presented a letter from the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, to Prime Minister Manele.
