Media releases

Associate Professor Jerry Courvisanos from Federation University Australia has contributed to a major book on the economic future of Timor-Leste. 

The book, New Research on Timor-Leste, is based on the proceedings of the Timor-Leste Studies Association’s 2017 Conference.

Associate Professor’s chapter is titled ‘Review of the Roadmap for Implementing the SDGs in Timor-Leste: Achievements and Limitations’. 

“In March this year, the Maritime Boundary Treaty was finally signed between Australia and Timor-Leste. Australia finally agreed to the morally, ethically and internationally legal boundary which provides oil/gas deposits to Timor-Leste,” Associate Professor Courvisanos said.

“Timor-Leste has been arguing for this since its independence was voted on in 1999, but Australia has stopped this at every turn until now. Now, well after the end of the fossil fuel/mining boom of high prices, Australia agrees.

“The agreement signing is too little too late. Australia gives up a resource that is now very much diminished in dollar value. The past Timor-Leste Governments have insisted on continuing this resource development strategy,” Associate Professor Courvisanos said.

“As my report argues, this strategy is unsustainable because it is in conflict with its legislative agreement to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in its own country. It is through focusing on the SDGs will the country develop strength through a diverse economy that it needs to survive in this new socially and ecologically sustainable global environment.”

Due to the large number of papers received, the peer-reviewed, four-language publication will be released in two volumes: Volume I (General Papers and Gender Stream) and Volume II (Agriculture and Science).

The book will be launched on Tuesday, 26 June, at Victoria University’s Flinders Street Campus from 5.00 pm.