East Timor and Australia Resolve Their Dispute over Lucrative Oil Resources in the Timor Sea
The treaty will allow development of the oil and gas resources of the Timor Sea and will produce desperately needed revenues for the fledgling nation of East Timor.
The treaty will allow development of the oil and gas resources of the Timor Sea and will produce desperately needed revenues for the fledgling nation of East Timor.
In January, 2006 Australia and East Timor signed a much needed treaty that allows them to share billions of dollars in revenues from disputed oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea. Some of these resources had been developed by Australia based on an agreement signed with Indonesia when East Timor was part of Indonesia and the revenues were all going to Australia. The dispute arose when East Timor became an independent nation in 2002. The oil and gas resources are predominantly within the area that would belong to East Timor under the Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaty. Australia had withdrawn from the treaty so it could not be applied to this dispute. An agreement in 2002 had allowed that East Timor would receive 90% of the revenues from one petroleum development area. Under this new treaty new resources can begin production and will bring much needed revenue to the fledgling nation of East Timor.
East Timor was born in violence and was left in ruins by the Indonesian Military when they pulled out at the time of the nation gaining its independence. The revenues will be a boost to the local economy which has struggled to rebuild the infrastructure and to provide basic services. Global Ministries’ partner the Protestant Church of East Timor has been struggling to support its pastors and to meet the human development needs of its members. We hope that this treaty will be the beginning of better times for all the people of East Timor.
People who are interested in providing special support to the Protestant Church of East Timor can contribute in the following areas:
· Educational Development Programs
· Scholarship Programs for church leadership development efforts
· Church Leadership Support (pastors are now earning about $37 per month)
If you would like up-to-date information on any of these programs please contact the Southern Asia Office:
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Debra Frantz
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