About Friends of Aileu

Moreland City Council, with Hume City Council, established a friendship relationship with the District of Aileu in Timor-Leste (East Timor) in 2000. Aileu is located in a mountainous area south of  the capital, Dili. 

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding in 2000

At the Maurice Blackburn Oration, delivered by East Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao on 4 May 2000, a Memorandum of Understanding (RTF 5Kb) was signed by Xanana Gusmao with the local governments of Hume and Moreland. 

Aileu Friendship Relationship Commission formed in 2004

In 2004, the Aileu Friendship Relationship Commission was formed in Aileu to manage the Timor-Leste end of the relationship. The Commission consists of representatives of key government departments working in Aileu and of the local community. The Commission provides advice to Friends of Aileu on community needs and priorities for funding projects.  View the Friends of Aileu Organisation Chart (DOC 31Kb)

Five-year friendship agreeement and strategy plan

In 2005, during a visit to Melbourne, the District Administrator of Aileu, Sr Martinho Matos, signed a five-year friendship agreement between the District of Aileu and the Moreland and Hume City Councils (DOC 28Kb). 

In March 2005, the Friends of Aileu developed a Strategy Plan for 2005-2010 (DOC 42Kb), which has been agreed by Moreland and Hume City Councils. The Strategy Plan is reviewed each year and goals set for that year.

Priorities

At the Dili Friendship Conference in June 2008, representatives of Aileu District and the Friends of Aileu discussed the development of the friendship relationship and identified three priorities areas:

• To build and learn from existing programs
• To improve systems for reporting and follow-up e.g. evaluation of financial and other outcomes, and
• To ensure that all projects in Australia and Timor-Leste are socially and environmentally sustainable

Local government frienships relationships

The friendship relationship between Hume, Moreland and Aileu is one of a number of relationships between local governments and communities in Timor-Leste. Details of the other friendship relationships are on the Victorian Local Governance Association website.

Files

Brochures, plans and background

• Strategy Plan for 2005-2010 (DOC 42Kb)
• Friends of Aileu Organisation Chart (DOC 31Kb)
• Friends of Aileu Brochure (PDF 440Kb)
• Memorandum of Understanding (RTF 5Kb)
• Memorandum of Understanding (PDF 43Kb) 
• Statement of Principles for Victorian local governments working in East Timor (RTF 9Kb)
• Statement of Principles for Victorian local governments working in East Timor (PDF 65Kb)
• Five-year Friendship Agreement between the District of Aileu and the Moreland and Hume City Councils (DOC 28Kb)

Reports

• Report on a visit to Timor-Leste by Richard Brown, 20 September - 1 October 2005 (PDF 692Kb)
• Report on a visit to Timor-Leste by Richard Brown 2005 (DOC 69Kb)
• Report on a visit to Observe the Village Chief and other Suco Elections in Aileu District, Timor-Leste, 29 June - 6 July 2005  (DOC 1Mb)
• Report on the visit by Sr Martinho Matos District Administrator District of Aileu, 1 - 13 May 2005 (DOC 688Kb)
• Report on the visit by Mario Soares 2004 (DOC 1Mb)