Minister Nino Pereira conducts friendly visit to PAM Belu to strengthen border services
Belu-Atambua, July 02, 2025 (TIC/MCI Media) โ The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), through His Excellency the Minister of Commerce, Mr. Nino Pereira and the government delegation, held a meeting with Governor NTT, which continues with the President of the Municipal Authority of Belu, SE. Willybrodus Lay S.H., accompanied by the Vice-President of the Municipality, SE, Vicente Hornai Gonรงalves, ST., in the Office Room of the Municipality of Belu-Atambua.
The meeting was organized in coordination with the Deputy Attachรฉ for Trade and Industry in Kupang and the Consulate of Timor-Leste in Atambua, as a friendly visit to exchange views and present relevant issues on the strengthening of trade relations and industrial cooperation between Timor-Leste and Belu, ideas related to the services of the border services of both sides and present the first event in the history of Timor-Leste after Independence at the Dili International Trade Council (DITE) 2025 Exhibition, which will take place in Dili.
Cultural Language as a Solid Basis for Cooperation
The visit is an important moment to strengthen bilateral relations in economic, social and cultural aspects between the two countries as brothers, opening up new opportunities for cooperation, services and cross-border public services.
"We are one country, one culture. Although we are from two different countries, the relationship between the communities of the island of Timor is very strong and inseparable from cultural and family aspects. We must continue to protect this relationship," said Minister Nino Pereira.
The Chairman of the Belu Municipal Authority further stated that:
"Administratively, we are separated, but in cultural aspects and family relationships, we are one. Therefore, this visit is of great importance to strengthen family ties and cross-border cooperation," said PAM's Willy.
Special Invitation to Participate in Expo Timor-Leste 2025
The concrete result of this meeting was that His Excellency the Minister officially invited the President of the Municipal Authority of Belu and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in the first Timor-Leste International Fair, from August 28th to September 1st, 2025, at the Convention Center Dili (CCD).
The Mayor of Belu, Mr. Willy, responded positively to this invitation and gave a good signal for bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
"We are ready to participate in the International Expo in Timor-Leste. This is a concrete action to strengthen economic relations and develop the potential that Belu has at the regional level," said the PAM of Belu.
Border Zone Market
In addition to strengthening social and cultural relations, the main focus of the meeting was to discuss opportunities for economic collaboration between bordering countries. The hope of both sides is to relaunch legal trade and revitalize the economy by promoting traditional markets in the border area.
Minister Nino Pereira said that the border area has great potential to develop together, from the commercial sector to cross-border public services.
"There are some strategic issues that have become very interesting topics in the discussion between the two parties, such as the reactivation of traditional markets in the border area and the increase in service hours, especially for the humanitarian aspect of the Timorese community in the border area," said the minister.
All forms of cooperation will be carried out in broad consultation and coordination with the Government of Timor-Leste and the Government of Indonesia, so that the programmed can be implemented in a systematic and continuous manner.
This initiative, authored by PAM Belu Willybrodus Lay, responds to the commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste and states that the Municipality of Belu is ready to strengthen cross-border synergy, as a strategy to sustain economic development and community well-being in the border area and combat illegal trade.
"We are ready to collaborate. Cultural relations and geographical management between the Belu people and Timor-Leste are the common force to build a productive and harmonious border area," said PAM's Willy.
Both sides are committed to reactivating frontier markets with the involvement of all stakeholders. These ideas and issues were presented together, in accordance with legal procedures, at the "Discussion Forum", which will take place on July 8, 2025 at the National Cross-Border Post (PLBN) of Motaian.
Participation in this meeting: From Timor-Leste (Minister Nino Pereira, Consoler of Timor-Leste in Atambua, Assistant of Trade and Industry of Kupang, Technical Advisor of MCI), from Atambua-Belu, Indonesia (PAM Belu SE. Mr. Willybrodus Lay S.H., accompanied by the Vice-President of the Municipality SE. Mr. Vicente Hornai Gonรงalves, ST. OPD-PAM Belu)
The meeting in Atambua-Belu demonstrated brilliant evidence of cross-border cooperation established with a common vision, goodwill and fraternal spirit, a Timor. The border area is not a line of separation, but a convergence area of development and solidarity.
DITE 2025 will be a platform to give visibility to neighbours entering the "Red Carpet", where Timor-Leste opens a joint entrance for inclusive and harmonious development in the open border area. )*nz Media.ICT/MCI)*nz
