VOV.VN – Vietnamese Ambassador to Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam met with Marcos da Cruz, Timor-Leste’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, in the capital Dili on October 8 to discuss specific areas for cooperation in agriculture and fisheries and preparations for the first meeting of the Vietnam–Timor-Leste Joint Commission.

Minister Marcos da Cruz spoke highly of Vietnam’s experience in agricultural and fisheries development, noting that Timor-Leste has potential in land, livestock farming and marine resources. However, agricultural production in the country is still mostly small-scale, while fisheries infrastructure and human resources require further investment.

Timor-Leste wishes to learn from Vietnam’s experience to improve its production capacity and ensure food security.

In agriculture, the two sides identified rice and coffee as promising areas for cooperation, including the exchange of crop varieties, farming techniques and equipment, as well as training. Ambassador Pham Binh Dam proposed combining the supply of agricultural products with support for Timor-Leste in improving its domestic production capacity. He also suggested exploring trilateral cooperation models and mobilizing additional resources from international organizations and development partners.

In fisheries and the marine economy, the two sides discussed possible cooperation in aquaculture, fishing, shipbuilding, seafood processing, fisheries infrastructure development and training. They also considered applying digital technologies to monitor fishing activities, trace seafood origins, and prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Minister Marcos da Cruz welcomed the interest shown by Vietnamese businesses in Timor-Leste’s fisheries and processing sectors, stressing that he wanted projects to include technology transfer and personnel training. He proposed that Vietnamese businesses engage directly with the Ministry’s specialized units to develop specific plans and assess their feasibility.

Regarding the first meeting of the Vietnam–Timor-Leste Joint Commission, to be co-chaired by the two countries’ foreign ministers, both sides stressed the need to identify priority areas, programmes, projects and cooperation documents soon.

Putting the agreements in agriculture and fisheries into practice is expected to create more opportunities for businesses in both countries, while helping improve production capacity and provide sustainable livelihoods for the people of Timor-Leste.

VOV

Published Date: October 10, 2026