Bandar Seri Begawan — His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei met with the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste for a Bilateral Meeting, following their Four-Eye Meeting.
According to Radio Television Brunei, During the Bilateral Meeting, both leaders underscored the importance of ongoing cooperation in various sectors including education and people-to-people exchanges. According to the details released, they expressed their enthusiasm for expanding collaboration into the health and energy sectors, alongside celebrating the new Memorandum of Understanding concerning the recruitment of Timor-Leste workers to Brunei Darussalam.
Furthermore, Brunei Darussalam will provide two post-graduate scholarships annually for the next three years to Timorese students, with programs commencing in 2024. The leaders also discussed Brunei’s support of Timor-Leste’s efforts to join ASEAN and reviewed other regional and international matters of mutual interest.
The meeting was also an occasion for His Majesty to formally welcome His Excellency to Brunei Darussalam, remarking on the considerable time since His Excellency’s last visit over two decades ago. His Excellency recognized His Majesty’s role in supporting Timor-Leste’s development and integration into ASEAN.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the employment and recruitment of workers was officially signed, with representatives from both governments, including Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman for Brunei Darussalam and His Excellency Francisco Kalbuadi Lay for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, formalizing the agreement.