Oé-Cusse, Timor Leste(February 09, 2023): On Thursday, 09th of February 2023, His Excellency President of Authority Special Administrative Region of Oé-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA) accompanied by the Director of MTCI-DNADMPMT and UNDP Country Economist for the launching of the first competition of Business Innovation Challenges with the theme of “Promoting Basic Economy Diversification” in Hotel Ambeno Pante Macassar Oé-Cusse. This event was organized by the Ministry of Tourism Commerce and Industry in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the President of Authority RAEOA ZEESM -TL, KOICA, and IADE. The objective of this competition is to encourage productive and creative young people with innovative business ideas to create jobs for themselves by strengthening entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems including youth involvement in the economic recovery process. The event was attended by government counterparts, local authorities, various institutions, and agencies.

In his remarks, The President of the Authority Mr. Arsénio Paixão Bano thanked the Ministry of Tourism Commerce and Industry for the launching of Business Innovation Challenges (KNI) 2023 as the first business competition to be implemented in Oé-Cusse. His Excellency also stated that this event is a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry, UNDP, and ZEESM RAEOA on the theme of promoting the diversification of the economy. The Innovative Business Competition (KNI) in Oé-Cusse is a continuation of the activity that was developed in 2021 called the Oé-Cusse Business Incubator (OBI) to continue supporting and providing equipment and materials to young people who come with business ideas, innovative, unique and different. These activities are intended to motivate the investment of productive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, trade, industry, and tourism with an orientation to reducing problems in the community.

Through UNDP’s support in these past few years, over 7,000 young people have been benefitting from support related to access to employment, capacity building, and network access, and 30 entrepreneurs in RAEOA through Oé-cusse Business Incubator (OBI). In the previous Business Innovation Challenges held together with MTCI, over 150 youth received entrepreneurship training and 98 of them received grants to support their businesses. MTCI would like to bring this opportunity to RAEOA, and in the next couple of weeks, they will also hold a similar Business Innovation Challenge in other municipalities. Collaboration, joint effort, and synergy really matter to provide employment opportunities and foster entrepreneurship among youth. Under the framework of the MTCI and RAEOA Partnership, it is hoped to have collaboration effectively, especially with all stakeholders in Oecusse, from the sub-region administration, sucos (villages), youth groups, the private sector, and academia, to all development partners. MTCI will open to any contribution and innovative ideas to accelerate the success of this project.

The Director of TMCI Mr. Bernardino de Menezes representing the Minister, stated that MTCI is the central government institution responsible for the preparation, coordination, and evaluation of the defined policy approved by CM for economic activities in the areas of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry starting in 2021 introducing and promoting, and supporting the program for the private sector and the MPME sector through the existing MPME’s soft loans facility (3% / year) and youth entrepreneurs equipment support MPME start-up through the Competition of Business Innovation Challenges program.

In 2021 MTCI and UNDP, IADE conducted the competition of Business Innovative at the national level and continued at the KNI II in 2022, but in the same year in KNI III was conducted at the regional level (Leste Central and Weste). After 2022, H.E. Vice Minister of Commerce and Industry through communication and consultation with the President of Authority RAEOA on the possibility of implementing the KNI program in RAEOA, in technical coordination with UNDP and Regional Secretary of Commerce and Industry and also MTCI through Direção Nasional- ADMPME’s to launch the Competition of Business Innovation 2023 in Oé-Cusse.

Contact Information: Roni Pati Tpoi, UNDP (Livelihood and Economic Diversification Team Leader), Tel.+670 77755284, Email address. roni.tpoi@undp.org