Dili, 02 Mei 2026 (Media Democracia) – Secretary of State for Toponymy and Urbanization (SEATOU) together with the technical team from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) carried out waterway normalization work in the area of Nicolau Lobato International Airport to improve drainage and prevent flooding, in order to ensure safety and movement in the airport zone.
According to the Secretary of State for Toponymy and Urbanization (SEATOU), Germano Santa Brites Dias, he affirmed that the purpose of normalizing the waterways is so that, when it rains, large volumes of water will flow along their proper path.
“Today the joint team, together with the President of the National Authority of Civil Aviation of Timor-Leste, ANATL.IP, is at the Airport to look at the drainage that is blocked and filled with soil and grass, causing flooding. Every time it rains, water always fills up the ditches, the water doesn’t flow properly, and water can rise onto the road, harming aircraft and transport vehicles operating inside the Airport, which also become disrupted. That’s why today is the time to come and inspect the Airport again in order to normalize the ditches, so that when heavy rain comes, large volumes of water flowing from the Comoro and Kampung Baru areas can follow their path.” said SEATOU, Germano Santa Brites at Nicolau Lobato International Airport (28/04/2026).
Meanwhile, according to the President of the National Authority of Civil Aviation of Timor-Leste, ANATL.IP, Romualdo da Silva, the construction of the waterway must be completed by 2028 according to the government’s plan.
“We hope that in one or two months they can already provide water supply for our Office Assistant so we can move to the Kobbie-house that is now being prepared there, and our office can be demolished in the next month or two, and JICA can begin construction of the new Terminal, the duration, according to the government’s plan, is that whether we like it or not, it must be completed in 2028. We will try as much as possible to work together with the three agencies here so that by 2028 the project can be finished for inauguration. Regarding the budget, we cannot disclose it because the contracts are not the same.” said the President of ANATL.IP.
The activity included general cleaning of the ditches and repairing the drainage system to facilitate proper water flow, so as to prevent water from rising onto the road and ensure that movement in the airport area proceeds normally and safely.
Report By: Trainees Novita Soares and Leozalia Oliveira
Photo: Trainee Novita Soares