LocationsWith the inauguration of Balkaun Uniku facilities in Bobonaro and Ermera within just two weeks, Timor-Leste reaches a milestone of ten fully operational One-Stop Shops — a nationwide network that is transforming access to essential public services for citizens in remote and rural communities.
Bringing Government to the People: Timor-Leste Inaugurates Two New One-Stop Shops in Bobonaro and Ermera
March 25, 2026
Timor-Leste Prime Minister, Kayrala Xanana Gusmão, and UNDP Resident Representative Katyna Argueta cut the ribbon of the Balkaun Uniku (One-Stop Shop) facility during the inauguration in Bobonaro.
Ministry of State Administration (MSA) Timor-Leste
Bobonaro: The Ninth Milestone
DILI, 26 March 2026 — On 12 March 2026, the Ministry of State Administration (MSA), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Timor-Leste, officially inaugurated the Balkaun Uniku (One-Stop Shop) in Bobonaro Municipality — the ninth such facility to become fully operational across the country.
The Bobonaro opening follows successful inaugurations in Manatuto, Baucau, Liquiça, Ataúro, Aileu, Manufahi, Oecusse, and Covalima. By consolidating key administrative functions under one roof, the Balkaun Uniku model significantly reduces the time, costs, and travel burdens for citizens who previously had to journey to Dili for routine documentation. The Bobonaro facility provides streamlined access to National Identification Cards (BI), passports, and criminal certificates.
UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Katyna Argueta underscored the significance of the initiative for communities like Bobonaro:
"The Balkaun Úniku represents a practical step toward building a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centered public administration. For municipalities like Bobonaro, this initiative is particularly important, as it brings government services closer to people and ensures that citizens can access the support they need more easily."
— Ms. Katyna Argueta, UNDP Resident Representative
Minister of State Administration Mr. Tomás do Rosário Cabral highlighted the practical benefits of the service model for citizens:
"The advantage of the Balkaun Uniku is that when citizens arrive in the office, they will simply have to collect their queuing number. Currently we have the Ministry of Justice through its Directorate of Notary providing services in the Balkaun Uniku to facilitate support to citizens who visit the office."
— Mr. Tomás do Rosário Cabral, Minister of State Administration
The Balkaun Uniku (One-Stop Shop) facility opened in Bobonaro Municipality
Joao Crisostomo/UNDP Timor-Leste
Ermera: Completing the Tenth
Just thirteen days later, on 25 March 2026, the momentum continued with the inauguration of the Balkaun Uniku in Ermera Municipality — the tenth facility to join the national network. Situated in one of Timor-Leste's mountainous regions, the Ermera One-Stop Shop is especially significant for communities that have historically faced the greatest barriers to accessing public administration.
In addition to National ID cards, passports, and criminal certificates, the Ermera facility expands the service offer to include birth certificates — reflecting a growing integration of services from both the Ministry of State Administration and the Ministry of Justice.
At the inauguration ceremony, Ms. Argueta reaffirmed UNDP's long-term commitment to the initiative:
"The success of this initiative will depend not only on the infrastructure we inaugurate today, but also on a continued commitment to quality service, accountability, and responsiveness to citizens' needs. UNDP remains committed to working with the Government and the people of Timor-Leste to strengthen institutions, improve services, and support sustainable development across all municipalities."
— Ms. Katyna Argueta, UNDP Resident Representative
Minister of Justice Mr. Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes Hornai also congratulated the partners and spoke to the inter-ministerial collaboration that underpins the network:
"The Ministry of Justice has been committed since 2024, when the Ministry of State Administration brought the initiative on how to bring public administration closer to people. In practice, we want an administration which is efficient and effective — we therefore need to work together towards this objective."
— Mr. Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes Hornai, Minister of Justice
Minister Cabral also used the occasion to thank UNDP for its partnership and to recognise the role of the Directorate General for Simplification and Administrative Modernization in driving the rollout:
"With the existence of Balkaun Uniku, citizens will have access to public services under one roof — this will represent cost and time savings, effectively."
— Mr. Tomás do Rosário Cabral, Minister of State Administration
Ms. Katyna Argueta, UNDP Resident Representative and José Martinho dos Santos Soares, President of Authority of Ermera Municipal, cutting the ribbon at the Balkaun Uniku facility in Ermera
Ministry of State Administration (MSA) Timor-Leste
A Blueprint for Inclusive Governance
The rapid succession of the Bobonaro and Ermera inaugurations reflects both the political will of the Government of Timor-Leste and the effectiveness of the collaborative model between the MSA, the Ministry of Justice, and UNDP. The Balkaun Uniku network — now spanning ten municipalities — is not only delivering administrative efficiency but also advancing a broader vision of equitable, citizen-centred governance.
For UNDP, the One-Stop Shop model serves as a blueprint for how institutional capacity-strengthening and inclusive service delivery can go hand in hand. The network's continued expansion reaffirms the joint commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste and UNDP to ensuring that all citizens — regardless of geography — have equitable access to the services they need.
Bobonaro's Balkaun Uniku facility
Ministry of State Administration (MSA) Timor-Leste
A beneficiary receiving a copy of a birth certificate at the Ermera's Balkaun Uniku facility
Ministry of State Administration (MSA) Timor-Leste
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