Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araújo, his wife Dr. Teresa Madeira Soares, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, H.E. Hernâni Coelho, the Minister of the Interior, H.E. Longuinhos Monteiro, and the Second Commander General of the National Police Force of Timor-Leste, Faustino da Costa will visit New Zealand February 25 to March 4.

A Timor-Leste government statement released Friday said a business dinner would be held in Auckland to “update participants on national development and encourage New Zealand companies to pursue opportunities in Timor-Leste.”

“The delegation will interact with organizations having expertise that may help Timor-Leste’s transition to a more diversified economy, including the Shaw Dairy Farm based in Auckland and the Royal Albatross Centre on the Otago Peninsula, a successful model for eco-tourism.”

Agio Pereira, spokesperson and Minister of State, said: “Timor-Leste welcomes the opportunity to encourage business partnership and to meet with New Zealand experts in areas that are important to the economic diversification of Timor-Leste. This trip by the Prime Minister will strengthen the warm relationship already enjoyed by Timor-Leste and New Zealand and build on our history of friend.”