Dili, 12th of March 2024 – Today, the Honorable Minister of Defence, Rear Admiral Donaciano da Costa Gomes ‘Pedro Klamar Fuik’, PhD, held a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of France, accredited in Jakarta and Timor-Leste at the Ministry of Defence, Fatuhada, Dili, to discuss Cooperation between Timor-Leste and France and security concerns.

During the meeting, Minister of Defence Pedro Klamar Fuik and Ambassador Fabien Penone reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties in maritime security, especially emphasizing the importance of cooperation in combating maritime threats such as illegal fishing, piracy, and smuggling. They highlighted the need for enhanced surveillance and enforcement capabilities in Timor-Leste's territorial waters and welcomed France’s support in this endeavor.

“After the meeting and the visit of the Ambassador, they will take Timor-Leste’s sailors to observe and learn about maritime areas in their boats. It’s the first step of the bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and France,” said Minister of Defence Pedro Klamar Fuik.

Ambassador Penone commended Timor-Leste’s efforts to promote maritime security and reiterated France’s commitment to assisting in capacity-building and technology transfer. He underscored the significance of maritime security for regional stability and economic development and pledged France’s continued support for Timor-Leste’s initiatives in this area.

“We want to establish cooperation with Timor-Leste because of common values of democracy, human rights, and respect for international laws, and Timor-Leste has an ambition for supporting multilateral governance,” said Ambassador Penone.

He added that it is clear that Timor-Leste also plays an important role in this region with its accession to ASEAN due to its geographical position between the Southeast Asian Pacific and the Indian part of France, which is the Pacific Nation. 

“We have territory in this region, especially in New Caledonia, which is close to here, with some security and defense capabilities. Therefore, we had a very interesting discussion with Timor-Leste to develop our defense and operational security,” emphasized Fabien Penone.

The meeting concluded with the exchange of gifts between the Minister of Defence Pedro Klamar Fuik and the Ambassador of France."

Media MD