Phnom penh: Timor-Leste's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Filipus Pereira, emphasized that the country's integration into ASEAN represents more than just market expansion. It presents an opportunity to bolster the capacity of its people, businesses, and domestic institutions while attracting quality investments to enhance competitiveness. Pereira made these remarks during a policy dialogue themed 'Building Resilient Trade and Investment Frameworks in a Diverse Global Landscape,' held on the sidelines of the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, China.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Timor-Leste's micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) encounter challenges in accessing finance, technology, market information, quality standards, and digital tools. In response, the government is working to improve export capacity and attract investments. It is also encouraging a transition from raw-material exports to developing higher value-added products and services, particularly in sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and resource extraction.
Pereira also underscored the potential of e-commerce and digital trade in helping Timor-Leste's small economy overcome geographical limitations by connecting domestic producers with consumers in regional and international markets. To facilitate trade and investment, he highlighted the need for further improvement in customs procedures, infrastructure, connectivity, standards, regulatory transparency, and the investment environment.
In attracting foreign investment, the Timor-Leste government is shifting its focus from merely securing capital to prioritizing projects that create jobs, transfer technology and skills, support domestic businesses, and strengthen long-term production capacity. Pereira noted that such quality investment should generate broader economic impacts rather than simply providing additional capital.
Timor-Leste has identified three key priorities: diversifying products and markets to reduce dependence on external factors; enabling MSMEs to participate more deeply in regional trade; and prioritizing investment projects that bring technology, professional skills, innovation, and long-term production capacity. Within this context, ASEAN is seen as a platform for learning, building capacity, and gradually integrating into regional value chains. The World Bank's Timor-Leste Economic Report 2026 also assessed that ASEAN membership could help the country expand market access, strengthen investor confidence, and promote regional economic integration, while providing impetus for institutional reforms and improvements to the business environment.