Australian Local Government Association

Many councils throughout Australia have established Friendship Relationships with communities in East Timor. There are many differences between the activities of the Friendship Relationships, each one reflecting the interests and characteristics of the communities involved - both in Australia and in East Timor. However, there are some important common features of the Friendship Relationships program. An East Timor Liaison Office has been established in Dili to assist Australian councils interested in joining the program and those already involved.

Map of Timor (PDF 315 kb)

Common features which unite all participants in the Friendship Relationships program:

• All of the participating councils and/or community groups have made a long-term commitment to helping re-build East Timor.
• They are committed to capacity-building through skills development and material aid, in response to needs identified by their East Timorese partners.
• They are committed to building sustainable community-to-community relationships, which are based on mutual trust and respect.

Many, though not all, of the Friendship Relationships are based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which takes account of the 2000 Statement of Principles (PDF 5 kb).

There are many tangible benefits of the Friendship Relationships program for East Timor. As well as material aid and construction/rehabilitation of buildings, there has been considerable capacity-building in terms of training and skills development. There has also been the development of relationships between people at all levels, from District Administrators and local officials to families and individuals. This has enabled the transfer of skills and knowledge between professionals and also cultural exchanges, leading to greater understanding between people. Relationships have also been established between organisations and institutions, such as local government, schools, colleges and hospitals, which will endure into the future.

Activities

The range of activities undertaken within the Friendship Relationships program is very wide, and includes:

• support for democratic governance processes
• creation of paid positions in the districts, such as project workers, teachers etc
• provision of scholarships - secondary and tertiary
• training of personnel in Australia
• exchanges of personnel and study tours to Australia and East Timor to build capacity
• fund raising, including sale of East Timor coffee, tais and baskets
• material aid, including educational materials, medical equipment, office furniture and equipment, library equipment, sporting equipment, toys, agricultural implements, tools, sewing machines, bicycles, trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles
• support for women's sewing and weaving groups
• financial support for construction and/or rehabilitation of buildings
• development of community awareness in Australia of East Timor's needs
• friendship schools program.

Further information

For further information about the East Timor Friendship Relationships program, councils can contact the East Timor Liaison Office in Dili, the Consul General in Australia, or individual councils involved in the Friendship program.

East Timor Liaison Office in Dili

• Jose Mousaco
• Friendship Liaison Advisor*
• 0011 670 727 6376
• mousaco25@yahoo.com

*This position is funded through Australian Volunteers International.

East Timor Consul General in Australia

• Mr. Abel Guterres
• Consul General of Timor-Leste in Sydney, Australia
• Level 7, Bligh House
• 4-6 Bligh Street
• SYDNEY   NSW   2000

• GPO Box 5341
• SYDNEY   NSW   2001
• Phone: 02 9239 0060
• Fax: 02 9239 0030

• Email: abel.guterres@cgsydtl.com
• Enquiries: consulate@cgsydtl.com

East Timor Friendship councils and community groups

To promote and facilitate the East Timor Friendship Relationships program, ALGA has listed councils who are currently involved. Councils who are considering joining the Friendship Relationships program are encouraged to contact the councils listed below to discuss how your council can help the communities of East Timor.

ALGA contact regarding East Timor Friendship Relationships program:

• Should your council be involved, but not appear on this list and you would like to do so, please contact ALGA.
• Should your council appear on this list and you would like to be removed, please please contact ALGA.
• Updates and amendments of councils appearing on this list can also be made by contacting ALGA