By Freni Lutruntuhluy | OkminTV.com
It was an exceptional opportunity for the OkminTV.com management team to visit and exchange insights about Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Although separated by national borders, these two communities remain closely connected through shared history, cultural ties, and longstanding traditions—links that cannot easily be divided by geography.
Timor-Leste, formally known as the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (República Democrática de Timor-Leste in Portuguese), is a relatively new country, making strides in various areas.
While oil and gas continue to fuel the nation’s economy, its wider prospects are drawing interest from all corners of the world.
Formerly, East Timor was referred to as Indo (Dutch) Timor or Portuguese Timor, thus separating it from Dutch West Timor, or Kupang, when it was a Dutch protectorate. Timor-Leste has become a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), an observer at the Pacific Islands Forum, and a full member of ASEAN as of October 2025, a significant milestone that is widely perceived as creating new opportunities for economic and diplomatic engagement.
Earlier this week, the OkminTV.com news management team paid a courtesy visit to the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Jakarta. The delegation was received by Mr. Apolo Justino França Da Silva, Trade and Industry Attaché at the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Indonesia, on Monday, 17 November 2025.
The visit wasn’t just about building relationships; it was as much of a symbolic reminder that what is small and insignificant in many places can actually hold immense and often unrealized power.
Mr. Apolo underscored the high speed at which the country is progressing in various areas, saying ASEAN membership has opened many doors for collaboration—even with neighboring Indonesia.
“Through hard work, we have become a permanent member of ASEAN, and this has opened many opportunities for Timor-Leste,” he said. “As a neighboring nation, we value our relationship with Indonesia, especially given the deep cultural and traditional ties we share.”
Apart from extracting oil and gas, Timor-Leste also has potential in areas such as coffee, maritime tourism, and religious tourism that are being seen as the mainstay of future investments and economic development.
The OkminTV.com management expressed strong appreciation for Timor-Leste’s natural and cultural assets, recognizing their appeal on the international stage.
“This visit felt like coming home—we are not strangers when we talk about Timor-Leste,” said Freni Lutruntuhluy, OkminTV.com’s Director of News. “But more importantly, we want to see Timor-Leste grow stronger by leveraging its extraordinary potential in coffee, tourism, and human development.”
OkminTV.com reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Timor-Leste through responsible and consistent media coverage, particularly in areas related to economic development, business opportunities, human resources, and social and humanitarian issues. *(team-red)
