Minister Nino Pereira Pays Friendly Visit
PAM Belu to Strengthen Border Services
Belu-Atambua, July 02, 2025
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), through His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the government delegation, held a meeting with the Governor of NTT, followed by the President of the Municipality. Willybrodus Lay S.H. accompanied by the Vice President of the Municipality SE. Vicente Hornai Gonçalves, ST. in the Belu-Atambua Municipal Office Room.
The meeting was organized in coordination with the Assistant Attaché for Commerce and Industry in Kupang and the Consul of Timor-Leste in Atambua, as a friendly visit to exchange views and present relevant issues on strengthening trade relations and industrial cooperation between Timor-Leste and Belu, after Independence on Dili International Trade Expo (DITE) 2025, which will be held in Dili.
Cultural Language as a Firm Basis for Cooperation
The occasion of the visit is an important moment to strengthen bilateral relations in economic, social and cultural aspects between the two countries as brothers and sisters, to open new opportunities for cooperation, services and public services across borders.
"We are one country, one culture. Even though we are from two different countries, but the relationship between the communities on the island of Timor is this; very strong and can not be separated from the cultural and family aspects. Pay attention to continue to protect this relationship," said Minister Nino Pereira.
President of Belu Municipal Authority also affirmed that;
"Administratively we are separate, but in cultural aspects and family relationships, we are one. Therefore, this visit is of great significance to strengthen family ties and cooperation across borders," said WFP Willy.
Special Invitation to Participate in Expo Timor-Leste 2025
The concrete result of this meeting is that HE Minister officially invited the President of the Belu Municipal Authority and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in the first International Trade Exhibition in Timor-Leste from August 28 to September 1, 2025, at the Convention Centre. No (CCD).
President of Belu Municipality, Mr. Willy gave a positive response to this invitation and gave a good signal for bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
"We are ready to participate in Expo International in Timor-Leste. This is a concrete action to strengthen economic relations and create the potentials that Belu has at the regional level," said WFP Belu.
Border Zone Market
In addition to strengthening social and cultural relations, the main focus of the meeting was to discuss opportunities for economic collaboration between border countries. The hope of both sides is to revive legal trade, revitalize the economy by promoting traditional markets in the border area.
Minister Nino Pereira said that the border zone has great potential to develop together, from the trade sector to cross-border public services.
“There are some strategic issues that became very interesting topics in the discussion between the two sides, such as the reactivation of traditional markets in the border area, and increasing service hours, especially for the humanitarian aspect of the Timor-Leste community in the border area,” said the Minister.
All forms of cooperation will be done in comprehensive consultation and coordination with the Government of Timor-Leste and the Government of Indonesia, so that the program can run systematically and continuously.
This initiative, PAM Belu Willybrodus Lay responds to the commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste and said that Belu Municipality is ready to strengthen cross-border synergy, as a strategy to sustain economic development and community well-being in the border area and to combat illegal trade.
"We are ready to collaborate. Cultural relations and geographical management between the Belu people and Timor-Leste are the common force to build a productive and harmonious border zone," said WFP Willy.
Both sides are committed to reactivating border markets with the involvement of all relevant parties. These ideas and issues have been noted to be presented together in line with legal procedures in the “Discussion Forum” which will be held on July 8, 2025 at the National Cross Border Post (PLBN) Motaian.
Attendance at this meeting; From Timor-Leste (Minister Nino Pereira, Consul of Timor-Leste in Atambua, Assistant Commerce and Industry Kupang, Technical Advisor MCI), From Atambua-Belu, Indonesia (PAM Belu SE. Mr. Willybrodus Lay S.H, accompanied by Vice President of Municipality SE. ST. OPD-PAM Belu).
The meeting in Atambua-Belu showed bright evidence of cross-border cooperation established with a common vision, goodwill, and brotherly spirit, one Timor. The border zone is not a line of separation, but a space of convergence of development and solidarity.
DITE 2025 will be a platform to give visibility to neighbors entering the “Red Carpet” where Timor-Leste opens a joint entrance for inclusive and harmonious development in the open border zone.
ICT_MCI
Please share your feedback below and help us improve our content.