Overview

1. Timor-LesteExperience on ODA & Aid Effectiveness9-12 October 2007The Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Regional Workshop on Aid EffectivenessHanoi, Vietnam Presentation by:Palmira PiresDirectorETDA, Timor-Leste

2. Overview • Timor-Leste: “Timor of the rising sun” • Situated: Eastern part of Timor Island 500 km across the Timor Sea is Australia • It also includes the enclave of Oecussi (located in West Timor)

3. Facts and Figure • Population: 1,084,971 (Estimated) • Rural population: 90% • Language Literacy: Tetun: 82% Portuguese: 5% Indonesian: 43% English: 2% Gender: 49% Male, 51% Female Youth (Age below 33): 51% Land Area: 15,007 sq km Source: The World Factbook – Timor-Leste

4. Language & Administrative division • 12 main ethnic groups, each with its own language ie: Tetun, Mambae, Tokodede, Kemak, Galolen,Idate, Waimu’a, Naueti, Laka’ale, Bunak, Makasae and fataluku, Makalero, Baikeno • Timor-Leste comprises of 13 districts, 67 sub-districts (postos), 442 villages (sucos) and 2,336 sub-villages (aldeias)

5. History • 450 years under Portuguese colony • 3.5 years under Japanese invasion (World War II) • 24 years under Indonesia (Order Baru) • 2 years under UN Transitional Administration (UNAMET/UNTAET/UNMISET) • Restoration of Independence, 20 May 2002 • Currently led by the 4th Constitutional Government

6. Non- State Actors • Religious organizations • Mass organizations • Cultural and traditional associations • Community and sports organizations • Development organizations and self-help groups referred as NGOs

7. Indonesian period • Indigenous political associations survived underground or were incorporated into Indonesian organizations • Clandestine organizations operated under CNRT (National Council of the Timorese Resistance)

8. Catholic Church • 98% population is Catholic • Constitution praises merits of the Church in its Preamble but does not favour any religion • Church has communication and social service network

9. Civil Society There is a total of 467 local and international organizations in Timor-Leste in which 83% are local organizations. Most of the organizations are based in Dili. • 369 Local NGOs • 18 National NGOS • 80 International NGOS

10. Role of Civil Society • Monitoring • Advocacy • Education • Agriculture • Advisory services on human rights, justice and peace, gender awareness, environment and emergency assistance

11. Timor-Leste ODA Experience In 2004 • GDP is USD 366 • Unemployment 55% nationwide, 20% capital Dili • >10,000 young people join the labour market every year • Inflation fell 1.8% in 2004 and is expected to remain at round 2.4% • Growth in GDP is low at 1.8%

12. Timor-Leste ODA Experience (cont…) Government records reveal that Timor-Leste received a total of USD 2,314,495,641 from 1999 to 2007 This figure represents both the security (military), emergency and development assistance to the country • Source :figures gather from the Registry of External Assistance of the Government of Timor-Leste as of 28th September 2007

13. Timor-Leste ODA Experience (cont…) Funding breakdown: Total Funding (US$) Country (28) 1,949,663,249 Institutions (26) 364,832,391 Total 2,314,495,640

14. East Timor Development Agency (ETDA) • Established in 2000 • Non-governmental organization • Led by Timorese • Development of human resources through training, employment and business centres

15. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance Since its establishment, ETDA received funding Funding approved (US$) Country (4) 969,112 Institutions (3) 179,671 Total 1 148 783 (To date ETDA has received only 64% of the total approved funding)

16. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance (cont..) ETDA received 0.000496% of total Aid Assistance in Timor-Leste

17. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance (cont..) ETDA allocated Aid Assistance to: • Institution building • Capacity building

18. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance (cont..) Aid Assistance from donors based in the country

19. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance (cont..) Aid Assistance from donors outside the country

20. ETDA experience with Aid Assistance (cont..) Results • Ownership (organization is run and led by Timorese) • Equal partnership(act as adviser to international organizations on local issues) • Sustainability • Sharing resources (support other non-government organizations including government in sharing resources)

21. Results • International organization facilitated Timorese technical assistance from abroad • Timorese technical assistance from abroad acted as bridge between donor community and local Timorese • Ownership of the project • Transference of skills • Long term commitment

22. Challenges • Lack of accountability of international partners’ organizations • Lack of communication • Inequality in sharing information • Competition between international organizations in bidding for projects • Difficulties in creating new programs • Difficulty in starting on equal ground with international organizations in implementing NEW projects

23. Recommendations • Donors to provide an endowment fund to local organizations • Beneficiaries of the project to evaluate the project • Create a transparency mechanism where the international institutions must be accountable to present the results of the project to the beneficiaries, not just to donors • Be able to access information of projects implemented in the country on an annual basis

24. Recommendations (cont..) • Support local media to monitor aid projects • Create a mechanism for the return of professional technical assistance to their developing countries And most importantly • Aid assistance should not be tied with political decisions of the country

25. Obrigadu Barak!

26. Thank You