MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
Australia will provide an enhanced package of development assistance to East Timor, worth an estimated $214 million over four years.
The enhanced package includes an estimated $75 million for water and sanitation, $24 million for technical and vocation education, $40 million for justice and $75 million for economic management and infrastructure.
Today I signed an agreement with Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa for the first phase of this assistance, a $28 million rural water supply and sanitation program which aims to assist the Government of East Timor to provide access to clean water and sanitation to 200,000 people in rural areas by 2011.
A technical and vocational education initiative will commence next month that will provide education and training opportunities for young East Timorese to enhance their employment prospects and encourage participation in the shaping of their country's future.
The technical and vocational education initiative will establish work skills courses for junior and secondary students, business start-up services and aid the development and implementation of government policies on youth employment, training and industry accreditation.
Lack of infrastructure is a major impediment to development in East Timor. Australia will assist the Government of East Timor to spend its significant capital works budget by providing $75 million to improve administrative, contracting and procurement practices for infrastructure projects. This will ensure that essential transport, power and water and sanitation infrastructure is built in an efficient and timely way.
Our $40 million package of support for the justice sector will build the key institutions necessary for the efficient and accountable delivery of justice and to un-block bottlenecks in the legal system.
Australian aid to East Timor for 2007-08 is estimated at $73 million. Australia has provided $590 million in Official Development Assistance to East Timor since 1999.
Media contacts:
Malcolm Cole (Minister's Office) 02 6277 7500
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590