Minister of Trade and Industry Highlights Timor-Leste’s Commitment to Regional and Global Economic Integration at the 2026 ADB-World Bank Trade Forum

On May 12^th, 2026, Minister of Trade and Industry Nino Pereira addressed the opening plenary session of the 2026 ADB-World Bank Trade Forum at the Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. 

The forum, organised by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, in collaboration with IMD Business School and the Paris School of Economics, was held under the theme “Trade Policy in a Fragmented World: Accessions, Industrial Policy, and the New Multilateralism.”

In his remarks, the Minister noted that the current global trade environment remains marked by political uncertainty, industrial policy measures, and geopolitical tensions. In this context, he emphasised the importance of cooperation, predictability, and a rules-based multilateral trading system.

Nino Pereira also highlighted Timor-Leste’s accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2024 and its admission as a full member of the Association of Southeast Asia in 2025 as key milestones in the country’s regional and global economic integration.

The Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to aligning national policies and legal frameworks with regional commitments and to promoting economic diversification, trade facilitation, regulatory coherence, institutional capacity building, and inclusive economic growth.

In closing, Nino Pereira reiterated Timor-Leste’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with international partners, including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, to support a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable regional and global trading system.