"Indonesia will always be Timor-Leste's equal partner and a true friend," Aryani said during the Timor-Leste National Day celebrations here on Tuesday.
"Hopefully, the friendship and partnership that have been built between our two countries will continue and develop for future generations," she added.
Indonesia and Timor-Leste, she said, have maintained friendly ties for nearly two decades now.
Their geographical, historical, cultural, and inter-community proximity is a strong foundation for cooperation between the two countries.
She said she is confident that their bilateral cooperation will continue to develop, not only on the technical side, but also for boosting human resource capacity.
"We are honored that the training and capacity-building programs facilitated by Indonesia can provide real benefits to our brothers and sisters in Timor-Leste. We will continue to strengthen this initiative as part of solidarity and brotherhood between nations," she expounded.
In the economic sector, cooperation between the two countries has also shown significant development, with the value of bilateral trade increasing from US$301.5 million in 2022 to US$348.5 million in 2023.
Aryani emphasized that Indonesia remains Timor-Leste's main trading partner, especially for food, building materials, and infrastructure support through Indonesian state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
"We welcome the steps toward the Bilateral Investment Treaty, and hope that this agreement can be completed this year, as a real step to strengthen investment protection and create a conducive business climate," she said.
Meanwhile, in the defense sector, as neighboring countries with historical and cultural affinities, Indonesia and Timor-Leste have been working to establish close cooperation in various fields, including border management.
"Good fences make good neighbors, therefore, it is important for both countries to have certainty and clarity regarding the border lines,” Aryani explained.
"And we emphasize our commitment to resolving (issues regarding) borders with neighboring countries through open negotiations and good faith; we can achieve a fair and sustainable solution together," she added.
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Translator: Katriana, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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