Dili, July 25, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Ministry of State Administration (MAE), through the Secretary of State for Local Development (SEDL) and the National Directorate for Community Development Support (DNADC), organized an activity to initiate the approval process of community development plans for each village in Timor-Leste. This event took place at Hotel Timor on Wednesday.
The Vice Minister of State Administration, Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus, stated that this initiative aligns with the political direction of the IX Constitutional Government regarding the reinforcement of Community Development Plans, which reflect the government’s desire to accelerate the decentralization process and strengthen local governance through improved access to effective and efficient information management.
“We aim to promote more effective governance that must be aligned with the needs and characteristics of each municipality to strengthen civic participation and local responsibility. The establishment of local authorities is a significant step in ensuring that public policies respond appropriately to local realities,” said Vice Minister Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus.
He added that the objective of development is to bring services and decision-making closer to the authorities, enhancing efficiency and transparency from the perspective of village chiefs, which is crucial for local management and building the link between communities and government authorities.
“The leadership role of Head of Village can greatly influence local development, as stated in Law No. 9/2016, Article 23, which gives all village chiefs the competence to draft and prepare as well as implement their community development plans at the village level,” the Vice Minister explained.
He emphasized that the preparation of community development must be ethically aligned with central government policies to empower community participation in local governance as a priority, thereby contributing to equitable and sustainable development in Timor-Leste.
“Looking at the community development plans, they are the result of participatory processes involving everyone in development. At the grassroots level, these plans will provide detailed information on key needs to be addressed during the Village Chief’s mandate,” Vice Minister Jacinto Rigoberto Gomes de Deus affirmed.
He explained that externalization and coordination involving different institutions and local powers are crucial to ensure the effective implementation of established priorities and promote future initiatives.
Also present, the Secretary of State for Local Development, Mateus W. do Santos, stated that strategic documents like these will help communities align with government policies. These strategic development plans will serve as a basis for future planning at the village level across Timor-Leste.
“From the government’s initial investment practices, we can see that each village in Timor-Leste has potential. These plans will help the government and ministerial lines to implement programs at the village and sectorial levels in a coordinated manner,” said Secretary of State Mateus W. do Santos.
He further stated that these strategic and operational documents will identify existing assets and how development will be carried out under community leadership. Referring to Article 12 of Law No. 9, which states that every Head of Village must have a community development plan for their respective village, he explained the importance of this initiative.
He went on to say that under the IX Government’s mandate, development must align with the existing law and help identify community-owned resources. All documentation is expected to be finalized by December this year, to determine which villages are more advanced in implementing inter-village programs, especially in rural areas, as a comparative study with national-level integration.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano