Dili, June 5, 2025 (Média Democracia) – Secretary of State for Land and Property, Jaime Xavier, expressed hope that the long-term training provided recently will contribute to the future development of an improved online system in Timor-Leste.
He stated that following the formation of the current government, the Korean Ambassador and representatives from KOICA paid a visit to the Secretary of State for Land and Property. During the meeting, they seized the opportunity to request support for the digital development of land services, aiming to implement tools such as online websites, databases, and drone technology for land mapping, similar to systems used in other countries.
“At that time, we had discussions with the two ambassadors, and they asked what kind of support we would like. We responded that we wanted to develop digital information systems like those used internationally, so we wouldn’t have to rely on manual systems anymore. The ambassadors responded positively and sent a Korean trainer, Mr. Sehsub Han, an advisor from NIPA, to provide training on website development, drones, and databases,” said Secretary Jaime Xavier.
He added that for current mapping activities, a small drone is being used, although larger drones are also available. However, their use requires proper authorization to conduct land surveys. Mr. Han trained local technicians for one year, focusing on how to operate drones for mapping, manage databases, and create online websites. After a year of training, the participants are now presenting the results of their learning.
“Our staff can now use drones for mapping, and we’ve already purchased another drone to facilitate mapping activities. From this, we can say that our Land and Property technicians have made significant progress,” said Jaime Xavier.
He noted that a total of 40 participants joined the training, although some were occasionally absent due to other obligations. Nevertheless, the training has already brought about some change, and there is a shared vision within the Land and Property sector to advance Timor-Leste in line with other countries.
The training facilitator, Advisor Sehsub Han from Korea’s NIPA, stated that the seminar held today marked the conclusion of the one-year training program at the Secretariat of State for Land and Property. The seminar served as a closing event, where participants presented the knowledge and skills they acquired.
“The goal of this training was to enable Land and Property technicians to learn how to use drones for mapping and to develop online websites and databases. The trainees have learned very well; they’ve created functioning websites and are now able to capture images with drones for mapping purposes,” said Mr. Sehsub Han.
He acknowledged that there were various challenges during the training, including initial difficulties in mastering drone and website operations. However, the participants remained committed and continued learning. Another issue was power outages during practical sessions, which sometimes disrupted website development.
“The support from the Korean Ambassador was crucial in building the capacity of our staff to create database websites for each directorate. This way, they won’t have to rely on manual systems anymore, and online systems will make work at the Land and Property office much easier,” he added.
Looking to the future, it is expected that the trainees will apply the knowledge gained during the year-long training and use their experience to further develop an online website and database system, as well as improve drone operations for land mapping across Timor-Leste.
Report: Domingas
Photo: Domingas