Between 8 and 14 March, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Hanoi Office, carried out a mission to Timor-Leste, a country with a complex history, which on 20 May 2002 became the first state to gain independence in the 21st century and is today one of the youngest democracies in the world.
Over the past twenty years, Timor-Leste has faced economic and social challenges typical of a young state striving to build the solidity and autonomy needed to address long-standing issues as well as new development needs.
The AICS mission, the first initiative of the Italian Cooperation in the country, was led by Gianpaolo Gullotta, ASEAN Coordinator at the Jakarta project office, and included the participation of Andrea Demaio, Programme Director at EPLO, and Monica Palmierani, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bologna, under the supervision of Dr. Margherita Lulli, Head of the AICS Hanoi Office.
The mission aimed to define the programmatic elements of a future a delegated project funded by the European Union, focused on the digitalization of the justice sector, to which Italy, based on its experience, intends to contribute. Timor-Leste has indeed expressed the need to strengthen the modernization and digitalization of its justice system to consolidate institutions and increase public trust, recognizing this sector as a fundamental pillar for the proper functioning of the State.
The mission’s agenda included high-level institutional meetings with representatives of the Government, international organizations, and Member States. The highlight was the meeting with the Minister of Justice, Sergio de Jesus da C.F. Hornai.
The meeting with the Minister marked the beginning of a formal commitment toward digital transition, emphasizing the importance of effective coordination among all parties involved, an essential condition for the success of the initiative.
