Vientiane, Lao PDR, 2 October 2025

His Excellency Francisco da Costa Monteiro, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, addressed the 10th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Minerals (AMMin), held under the theme “Invest ASEAN: Minerals for the Future”. The meeting gathered ASEAN Ministers and senior officials to advance cooperation in the mineral resources sector and adopt new regional frameworks for sustainable development.

In his intervention, Minister Monteiro expressed deep appreciation for ASEAN’s unanimous support in endorsing Timor-Leste’s accession to the ASEAN Ministerial Understanding on Minerals. He recalled that the Government of Timor-Leste had formalised this step through Government Resolution No. 50/2025 of 24 September, and highlighted that accession represents not only Timor-Leste’s entry into ASEAN’s minerals cooperation, but also its forthcoming membership as the 11th ASEAN Member State at the Summit in Kuala Lumpur later this month.

The Minister emphasised that Timor-Leste is committed to managing its mineral resources responsibly, with sustainability, transparency, and mutual benefit at the centre of its policies. The 10th AMMin concluded with the adoption of a Joint Media Statement (JMS), which reaffirmed ASEAN’s long-term vision for minerals development through the ASEAN Minerals Development Vision (AMDV) 2045 and the ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan (AMCAP-IV) 2026–2030. These frameworks will guide cooperation on trade, investment, sustainability, capacity building, and mineral information systems across the region.

The JMS also welcomed ASEAN’s progress on sustainable mining, artisanal and small-scale mining formalisation, and the growing role of critical minerals in energy transition supply chains. Timor-Leste, now joining as a full partner, pledged to actively contribute to these collective efforts and to strengthen ASEAN’s position as a regional hub for responsible and sustainable mineral investment.

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