On 25 June 2025, the Council of Ministers approved, in principle and for public consultation, the document entitled “Blue Economy: Policy and Action Plan for the Promotion of a Resilient and Sustainable Economy of the Sea in Timor-Leste”.

Recognising that national development must be carried out by and for all, the Government launched a broad public consultation process, inviting:

• citizens and local communities;
• civil society organisations, including NGOs;
• academia and educational institutions;
• the private sector;
• development partners; and
• competent public entities, to submit constructive contributions to the final version of the Policy and Action Plan.

The first phase of public consultation took place online from 11 to 30 September 2025.

In a second phase, on 21 October, an in-person consultation was held with the participation of approximately 700 representatives from across the national territory, including Suco Chiefs, Administrative Post Administrators and Presidents of Municipal Authorities, with the presence of the Prime Minister and Members of Government.

All contributions were subject to detailed analysis. The recommendations deemed relevant were incorporated into the final document, strengthening its technical quality, democratic legitimacy and alignment with the country’s concrete needs.

Next Steps: Socialisation and Implementation

The Government, in cooperation with municipal and local authorities, will carry out a broad process of socialisation of the Blue Economy Policy and Action Plan, with a particular focus on coastal communities and key public and private stakeholders linked to the ocean.

This socialisation process aims to:

• widely disseminate the content of the Policy and Action Plan;
• explain the benefits and opportunities for communities and the private sector;
• gather inputs for the implementation phase, ensuring that measures are adapted to local realities;
• strengthen ocean literacy and awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems for the development of Timor-Leste.

Access a copy of the Blue Economy Consultation Report HERE!