Timor-Leste has taken an important step towards accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) with the submission of its first initial market access offer, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to implementing its WTO post-accession obligations and strengthening its integration into the global trading system.
The submission was highlighted during Timor-Leste’s participation in the meeting of the WTO Committee on Government Procurement (CGP) held in Geneva on 14 October 2026. This milestone marks an important advancement in the country’s preparations for the GPA accession negotiation process and demonstrates its commitment to progressively engaging with the international government procurement framework.
During the Committee meeting, members welcomed Timor-Leste’s commitment and progress in submitting its initial market access offer. Several GPA Parties expressed their interest and willingness to support Timor-Leste throughout its accession journey. The Chair of the Committee encouraged members to engage actively with Timor-Leste and provide the necessary support as the country progresses towards the next stages of its accession negotiations.
Alongside the Committee meeting, Timor-Leste held bilateral engagements with the Chair of the Committee on Government Procurement and representatives of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the United States, Australia, Japan and Singapore.
These bilateral discussions provided an opportunity to exchange views on Timor-Leste’s accession preparations, strengthen dialogue with existing GPA Parties and explore potential areas of cooperation and technical support. Most of the parties welcomed Timor-Leste’s progress and expressed their willingness to support the country in advancing its accession process.
Timor-Leste’s initial market access offer represents a significant step towards identifying the government procurement opportunities it is prepared to open to international suppliers, while taking into account national development priorities, institutional capacity and the need for effective implementation.
The Government aims to pursue a balanced approach that combines credible market access commitments with development-sensitive implementation. This includes strengthening public procurement institutions, promoting transparency and good governance, and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic suppliers, while ensuring that commitments are appropriate to Timor-Leste’s national circumstances.
The Office of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs (MCAE), through its Strategic Unit for Economic Integration (SUEI), will continue to coordinate with relevant government institutions, the WTO Secretariat, GPA Parties and development partners to support the next stages of the accession process.
Timor-Leste’s engagement in the Committee and its bilateral discussions demonstrate the country’s determination to deepen international cooperation, strengthen its public procurement framework and advance its economic integration. The Government looks forward to working closely with GPA Parties and international partners towards successful accession to the Agreement, in support of a transparent, efficient and development-oriented public procurement system.
