Minister of Interior on the 15th edition of the program ‘Government Page’, Friday, October 24th, at 8 p.m., on RTTL

The 15th edition of the ‘Government Page’ program will feature the Minister of Interior, Francisco da Costa Guterres, and will be broadcast on Friday, October 24^th, 2025, at 8:00 p.m., on Radio and Television of Timor-Leste (RTTL) and on digital platforms. In this interview, the minister will present the Government's main priorities and strategies in the areas of internal security, border management, civil protection, and the modernization of the security forces.

During the conversation, the Minister emphasizes that the strategic vision for the security sector until 2030 aims to ensure a peaceful and stable society, which is essential for the country's economic and social development. He emphasizes that strengthening public security is a central priority for the Ministry of Interior, which is working to reinforce the operational capacity of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) and the Civil Protection Authority, while ensuring social cohesion and respect for human rights.

Among the Government's priorities, the Minister highlights strengthening public security, professionalizing and modernizing the security forces, improving police infrastructure and reinforcing community policing to bring the forces closer to the population. ‘Security belongs to all of us. We all contribute to strengthening security in our area’, ‘in this way we reinforce national cohesion, we reinforce national stability, we strengthen what we call national security, which we all want, so that development can continue’.

The Minister also explains that t

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nment is investing in technological modernization, with emphasis on the introduction of the MIDAS system, which allows for more effective control of entries and exits at borders, and on strengthening information collection and analysis systems, which are fundamental for crime prevention and the protection of national sovereignty.

In the area of Civil Protection, the minister said that the focus is on disaster risk reduction and prevention through training teams, creating early warning systems, and strengthening infrastructure and equipment in municipalities and administrative posts. ‘We cannot prevent the risk of natural disasters,’ but we must work on ‘prevention, so that the risk is minimal, and the costs are also minimal, both in terms of people and in terms of property,’ says Francisco da Costa Guterres.

Regarding public order, th

e Minister emphasizes that the Government has been monitoring and applying strict measures to ensure compliance with the suspension of martial arts activities and promoting the revision of the relevant legislation, with a view to reducing violence and strengthening social cohesion. He adds that the Ministry is preparing a Mediation Law to enable the resolution of community conflicts based on traditional mechanisms.

At the legislative and institutional level, the Minister emphasizes that the Government is implementing several reforms in security, including the revision of the PNTL Statute and Organic Law, the remuneration system and disciplinary regulations, as well as updating the National Security and Internal Security Laws to adapt them to the current reality of the country.

The Minister also highlights international cooperation with various partners, including Portugal, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, the United States, France and the United Nations, in the areas of training, institutional capacity building and modernization of security forces and services, including advanced training programs at foreign academies and institutions.

The ‘Government Page’ program is an initiative of the Government Spokesperson’s Office, led by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, in partnership with RTTL, the national media and digital platforms. Its aim is to strengthen Government transparency and ensure the population’s access to the Executive’s main actions and decisions. The program is presented by Nélia Chaves and produced by Ika Moniz, with technical support from the communications teams of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister's Office and the office of the member of the Government being interviewed.

The Government Spokesperson, Minister Agio Pereira, reaffirms that the ‘Government Page’ program is a fundamental tool for promoting accountability and dialogue between the Executive and citizens.

The Government invites the entire population to follow this edition of ‘Government Page’ on Friday, October 24^th, 2025, at 8:00 p.m., on RTTL and social media, reinforcing its commitment to building a more informed, participatory society committed to national development. END

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