AGP Executive Report

Ombudsman & Governance: The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against suspended Minglanilla Mayor Rajiv Enad and 11 others, after the municipal government repeatedly refused to approve a quarry rehabilitation plan—Enad insists the case is about safety and environmental protection, not corruption. Health Systems: WHO’s World Health Assembly highlighted Timor-Leste’s malaria elimination achievement and continued talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system for a future pandemic agreement. Agriculture Research: An ACIAR-supported project is testing practical ways to cut labour and improve nutrition for Timor-Leste farmers, tackling small plots, low soil fertility, and the pressure of younger people leaving agriculture. Digital Economy & Media Tech: Timor-Leste asked Malaysia to help secure an official Google presence, aiming to boost monetisation for local creators; separate reporting also notes a media cooperation MoU between Bernama and TATOLI. Cybersecurity: INTERPOL warns cybercrime is rising across Fiji and the Pacific, with scams, ransomware, phishing, and AI deepfakes stressing the need for stronger regional cyber resilience.

Farm Tech for Nutrition: An ACIAR-backed project is working with Timor-Leste farmers to cut labour and improve the nutrition value of staples by testing practical farm options, tackling issues like low soil fertility and the heavy manual workload that pushes young people off the land. Disaster Response Readiness: The U.S.-led Pacific Partnership 2026 and Pacific Friendship 2026 kicked off together in Vietnam, aiming to boost disaster preparedness and coordination through engineering, medical support, and community capacity building with partner forces. Media, Digital Skills, and Monetisation: Timor-Leste has asked Malaysia to help it work with Google to establish an official presence, so local creators can access YouTube monetisation; the two sides also agreed to strengthen media cooperation via news sharing and journalism training. Regional Tech Cooperation: At the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration and an action plan for 2026–2030, expanding cooperation across areas including digitalization, science and technology, and energy security. Health Access Gap (Global Lens): A new review highlights how vaccination and screening services remain uneven in low- and middle-income countries due to income, geography, costs, and barriers like low health literacy.

Digital Media Partnerships: Timor-Leste asked Malaysia to help it secure an official Google presence, aiming to unlock YouTube monetisation for local creators; officials also agreed to deepen media cooperation via news sharing and journalism training with Bernama and TATOLI signing an MoU. Media Integrity & AI Era: At HAWANA 2026, leaders praised ethical journalism while warning that AI and fast digital change raise new challenges for accuracy and responsibility. Regional Tech & Science Diplomacy: East Timor joined ASEAN-Russia talks in Kazan, where leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration and a 2026–2030 action plan spanning energy, digitalization, science and technology, plus energy security concerns. Disaster-Ready Engineering: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste among other stops, focusing on medical, engineering support, and disaster preparedness training across the Indo-Pacific. Health Tech (Global): Clear Health launched Isoclear™, a digital-first prescription topical acne treatment using isotretinoin, expanding access through clinician-guided at-home care.

Digital Economy & Media Access: Timor-Leste asked Malaysia to help secure an official Google presence, aiming to bring Google/YouTube monetisation support to local creators and boost the creative economy. Regional Tech & Journalism Links: Bernama and TATOLI signed an MoU to expand ASEAN media cooperation through news sharing, multimedia exchange, and journalism training. AI-Era Media Ethics: At HAWANA 2026, leaders stressed that rapid digital tech and AI make ethics and responsibility essential for accurate, credible reporting. Humanitarian Engineering in the Region: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will send about 300 personnel across Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, and the Philippines to strengthen disaster preparedness with medical, engineering, and disaster-management support. ASEAN-Russia Tech Cooperation: ASEAN and Russia adopted the Kazan Declaration and a 2026–2030 action plan, expanding cooperation in energy, digitalization, science and technology, and other areas that include Timor-Leste.

Google Presence Push: Timor-Leste asked Malaysia to help it set up an official Google presence, aiming to let local creators earn via YouTube monetisation; officials also agreed to boost media cooperation through news sharing and journalism training. Media Integrity & Welfare: At HAWANA 2026, leaders stressed ethics in the AI-driven media era, while Telekom Malaysia pledged RM500,000 to Tabung Kasih@HAWANA to keep welfare support flowing for media workers. ASEAN–Russia Tech & Digital Plans: East Timor joined ASEAN partners in Kazan as Russia and ASEAN adopted the Kazan Declaration and a 2026–2030 action plan covering energy, digitalisation, science and technology, and broader cooperation. Disaster-Ready Engineering: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste and other stops to strengthen disaster preparedness with medical, engineering, and disaster-management support. Regional Research & Skills: A higher-education forum in Macao highlighted AI in new media and joint talent development across Portuguese-speaking countries, with Timor-Leste among participants.

Digital Economy & Media Tech: Timor-Leste is asking Malaysia to help it secure an official Google presence, so local creators can access YouTube monetisation and grow the creative economy; officials say the lack of Google/YouTube representatives is a key barrier, and Malaysia–Timor-Leste also agreed to boost media cooperation via news sharing and journalism training. Regional Tech & Journalism Training: Bernama and TATOLI signed an MoU to expand ASEAN media collaboration, including sharing multimedia content and running journalism courses across Tetum, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia and English. ASEAN Science & Technology Diplomacy: At the Russia–ASEAN summit in Kazan, leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration and an action plan for 2026–2030, calling for deeper cooperation across energy, digitalization, science and technology, and other areas—Timor-Leste attended as a newer member. Disaster-Ready Engineering (Regional): The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 is set to visit Timor-Leste among other stops, focusing on medical support, engineering help, and disaster preparedness training.

Digital Economy & Platforms: Timor-Leste is asking Malaysia to help it work with Google so local creators can get an official presence for YouTube monetisation, with a plan to bring Google specialists to support young digital talent. Media Cooperation & Training: Bernama and Timor-Leste’s TATOLI signed an MoU to boost news, photos and multimedia sharing, plus journalism training and exchanges across Tetum, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia and English. Regional Tech & Science Links: At the Russia–ASEAN summit in Kazan, leaders including East Timor backed a 2030 action plan covering energy, digitalization, science and technology, and broader cooperation. Disaster-Ready Engineering: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste among other stops, focusing on medical, engineering and disaster preparedness training for regional resilience. AI-Era Journalism Ethics: Malaysia’s HAWANA 2026 events stressed that rapid digital and AI change must not weaken media ethics, accuracy and responsibility.

Maritime & disaster readiness: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste and other Indo-Pacific stops over five months, focusing on medical, engineering, host-nation outreach, and disaster management training to boost regional resilience. Energy & sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP have signed a Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL-SO-22-23, setting the operational rules for exploration and potential development inside Timor-Leste’s exclusive economic zone. Regional tech cooperation: At the Russia–ASEAN summit in Kazan, leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration and an action plan for 2026–2030, calling for expanded work across energy, digitalization, and science & technology, with Timor-Leste participating. GIS for development: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia renewed a major ArcGIS contract with Australia’s federal government; the platform is distributed across multiple markets including Timor-Leste, supporting geospatial data use by thousands of organizations. Higher education & inclusion: A GEDI in Higher Education programme is building regional gender data capacity across ASEAN, with Timor-Leste included in the participating higher-education systems.

Russia–ASEAN Summit in Kazan: ASEAN adopted the Kazan Declaration and an action plan to expand cooperation with Russia through 2030, with East Timor among the delegations. The agenda spans science and technology, digitalization, energy, agriculture, and security, plus energy cooperation and cultural cooperation documents. Energy instability focus: Russia and ASEAN also flagged rising global energy volatility and agreed to strengthen energy security via supply-chain resilience, diversified sources, and protection of critical infrastructure. Gender-inclusive education data: A regional push led by the British Council and SEAMEO RIHED is building a shared approach to gender data for higher education policy across ASEAN, including Timor-Leste. Pacific disaster readiness: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste and other stops to boost medical and engineering support and disaster preparedness. Timor-Leste energy sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP signed a Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL-SO-22-23, setting terms for joint exploration and development. GIS for spatial planning: Boustead Singapore’s ArcGIS platform renewal covers Timor-Leste among other markets, supporting geospatial data use for thousands of organizations.

Russia–ASEAN Summit: Putin hosted ASEAN leaders in Kazan and pushed a wider “strategic partnership,” with new plans spanning trade, energy, agriculture, digitalization, science & technology, and tourism—plus a 2026–2030 action plan and the Kazan Declaration. Regional Tech & Data: A GEDI in Higher Education push is building shared gender data capacity across ASEAN, including Timor-Leste, to support more inclusive policy decisions. Disaster-Ready Engineering: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste and other stops, focusing on medical support, engineering help, and disaster preparedness training for the Indo-Pacific. Timor-Leste Energy Sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP signed a Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL-SO-22-23, setting the framework for joint exploration and development inside Timor-Leste’s EEZ. GIS for Development: Boustead’s ArcGIS platform contract renewal covers Timor-Leste among other markets, supporting geospatial data use by thousands of organizations.

Gender-Inclusive Education Data: A British Council/SEAMEO RIHED programme is building a regional gender data resource for ASEAN higher education, including Timor-Leste, to help ministries make more consistent, evidence-based leadership and policy decisions. Russia-ASEAN Tech & Energy Push: At the Kazan summit, ASEAN and Russia adopted the Kazan Declaration plus energy, culture, and a 2026–2030 action plan, with leaders pointing to cooperation in digitalization, science and technology, and energy. Pacific Disaster Response Training: The U.S.-led Pacific Partnership 2026 will visit Timor-Leste and other Pacific states with about 300 personnel focused on medical, engineering, and disaster management readiness. Timor-Leste Energy Sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP signed a Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL-SO-22-23, setting the framework for joint exploration and potential development inside Timor-Leste’s exclusive economic zone. GIS for Regional Mapping: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia renewed a GIS platform contract with Australia’s federal government, with the ArcGIS distributor role covering Timor-Leste among other markets. AI in Farming: A regional hackathon in Bangkok showed young developers using AI and real farm equipment data to tackle Southeast Asia’s agriculture challenges.

Humanitarian & disaster readiness: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will run for five months with about 300 personnel across seven mission stops, including Timor-Leste, focusing on disaster preparedness, medical training, and engineering support. Energy sovereignty: Eni and Timor-Leste’s TIMOR GAP have signed a Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL-SO-22-23, setting the legal and operational framework for joint exploration and potential development inside Timor-Leste’s exclusive economic zone. GIS for the region: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia renewed a major ArcGIS enterprise contract with Australia, and the platform is distributed across Timor-Leste and other markets—supporting better mapping and analysis for thousands of organizations. Climate risk for renewables: Zurich Insurance reports about US$165b in ASEAN renewable assets (excluding Timor-Leste) face severe climate exposure by 2030, with resilience spending estimated to cut projected losses by 40–50%. Regional tech diplomacy: Russia’s Kazan Russia-ASEAN summit highlights AI-based digital solutions, resilient digital platforms, and technology exchange as key agenda items, with Timor-Leste among ASEAN members attending.

Offshore Energy Sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP have signed the Joint Operating Agreement for Block TL‑SO‑22‑23, setting the rules for joint exploration and potential development inside Timor‑Leste’s exclusive economic zone as Bayu‑Undan revenues decline and Dili pushes for new investment. GIS for Development: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia unit renewed a major ArcGIS enterprise contract with Australia’s federal government; the platform is distributed across Timor‑Leste and used by thousands of organizations, boosting how geodata is created and shared. Disaster-Ready Tech in the Region: The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership 2026 will run a five‑month humanitarian and civic assistance deployment across Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor‑Leste, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with a strong focus on disaster preparedness training and engineering support. AI in Agriculture: A regional hackathon in Bangkok brought Timor‑Leste and others together to build AI tools using real farm and machine data to help farmers make better decisions under connectivity limits. Fisheries Monitoring Model: A Kenya fisheries data project points to Timor‑Leste’s national monitoring system (started in 2016) as a template for better vessel tracking and shared decision-making.

Energy sovereignty: Eni and TIMOR GAP have signed the Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL‑SO‑22‑23, setting the rules for joint exploration and potential development inside Timor‑Leste’s exclusive economic zone as Bayu‑Undan revenues decline. Digital mapping for the region: Boustead Singapore’s ArcGIS platform has renewed a S$60m contract with Australia’s federal government; the GIS system is distributed across markets including Timor‑Leste, supporting thousands of users with geographic data tools. Climate resilience for renewables: Zurich Insurance reports ASEAN (excluding Timor‑Leste) faces major climate risk to renewable sites—US$165b at stake—with an estimated US$13b in resilience measures cutting exposure by 40–50%. Ocean action, not admiration: A WorldFish director argues the ocean must be managed as a living system tied to food, climate, and livelihoods—explicitly naming fishers and fish farmers in Timor‑Leste. Tech in farming: A Timor‑Leste team joined an AI hackathon in Bangkok building practical tools using real farm machine data to help Southeast Asian agriculture.

Energy Sovereignty: TIMOR GAP and Italian major Eni have formally signed the Joint Operating Agreement for offshore Block TL‑SO‑22‑23, setting the operational framework for joint exploration and potential development inside Timor‑Leste’s exclusive economic zone. Geospatial Tech for Governance: Boustead Singapore’s Esri Australia unit renewed a ~S$60M contract with Australia’s federal government for its ArcGIS GIS platform; Boustead is the exclusive distributor across multiple markets including Timor‑Leste, where thousands of organizations use the system. ASEAN Tech & Policy Dialogue: The ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in Hanoi highlighted AI governance, energy security, and digital development, with Timor‑Leste participating alongside regional leaders. Climate Resilience for Renewables: A Zurich Insurance report warns that most ASEAN renewable sites (excluding Timor‑Leste) face severe climate risk by 2030, arguing that early resilience spending can cut projected losses. Regional Energy Transition Watch: Santos says it is advancing Bayu‑Undan offshore carbon capture and storage in Timor‑Leste, designed to handle CO2 from Barossa and potentially other fields.

Higher Education & Language Tech: Macao’s 4th Forum for Rectors (China and Portuguese-speaking countries) opened June 15, with Timor-Leste among participants, focusing on “Empowerment Through Technology” and Chinese–Portuguese talent training. Climate Finance for Renewables: Zurich Insurance reports about US$165b in ASEAN renewable assets face climate risk; it says US$13b in resilience measures could cut exposure by 40–50% and help avoid up to US$82b in losses by 2030. Digital Agriculture with AI: A Bangkok hackathon at Agrinnovate Southeast Asia drew developers from Timor-Leste and the region to build AI tools using real farm machine data to tackle connectivity limits and precision farming needs. Timor-Leste in ASEAN diplomacy: At the ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in Hanoi, Timor-Leste’s PM Rala Xanana Gusmão met Vietnam’s leaders, as both sides backed deeper ASEAN integration and broader cooperation. Energy & Infrastructure Tech: Timor-Leste’s minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said at Macao’s IIICF that the country wants China links for strategic infrastructure, including a Suai supply base and highway plans. Health Research Watch: Eli Lilly announced Phase 3 results for Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) adding a 45% lower risk of progression or death in CLL/SLL, to be highlighted at EHA 2026.