Vietnam is willing to support Timor-Leste through bilateral cooperation as well as mechanisms within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Charge d'Affaires of Vietnam to Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam has a working session with Timor-Leste Minister of Justice Sergio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai in Dili. Photo: Published by VNA
Charge d'Affaires of Vietnam to Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam recently held a working session with Timor-Leste Minister of Justice Sergio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai in Dili to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in legal affairs, judicial reform, digital transformation, and to facilitate investment and business activities of Vietnamese enterprises in the country.
During the meeting, Dam commended Timor-Leste's progress in judicial reform, improving its legal system, and enhancing state governance. He affirmed that Vietnam stands ready to share its nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal) experience, particularly in developing a market-oriented economic framework, improving legislation, carrying out administrative reform, and advancing digital transformation.
Vietnam is willing to support Timor-Leste through bilateral cooperation as well as mechanisms within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he noted.
Dam noted that Timor-Leste could selectively adopt Vietnam's relevant lessons to accelerate institutional reform and strengthen its national competitiveness. He emphasised that alongside transport infrastructure, a country that wants sustainable development needs to pay special attention to "soft infrastructure," including a transparent and stable legal framework, sound institutions, and efficient administrative procedures in order to build investor confidence and support business activities.
Sergio Hornai observed that the legal systems of Vietnam and Timor-Leste share a number of similarities, particularly in addressing historical issues such as land disputes. On that basis, he proposed that the two Ministries of Justice launch a legal research programme to draw on Vietnam's experience in improving its legal framework and dispute resolution mechanisms.
As Timor-Leste continues its efforts to join ASEAN, he said he hopes that Vietnam would assist in training judicial personnel and share its experience in coordination among judicial and arbitration agencies as well as in extradition and combating transnational crime.
The two sides also discussed the role of digital transformation in judicial reform and public administration modernisation. Dam shared Vietnam's experience in developing e-government, the national population database, electronic identification, and integrated data-sharing systems across state management sectors. He emphasised that digital infrastructure and shared data platforms provide a vital foundation for simplifying administrative procedures, improving transparency, and enhancing public services.
The diplomat also called on Timor-Leste to continue addressing issues related to visas and administrative procedures, improve the investment climate, and create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises, particularly Telemor, to expand telecommunications services and contribute to the development of Timor-Leste's digital infrastructure.
Sergio Hornai reaffirmed Timor-Leste's commitment to supporting the effective operation of Vietnamese businesses and to coordinating in accelerating the procedures necessary for completing the headquarters of the Embassy of Vietnam in Dili.
Both sides agreed to promptly review priority areas and develop a concrete cooperation programme to be implemented through bilateral mechanisms in the coming period./.