POST-UNTAET WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED

A Working Group on Post-UNTAET Planning has been established to conduct extensive consultations and produce detailed recommendations for the Transitional Administrator on the required level of international assistance in East Timor after UNTAET’s mandate. The Working Group, chaired by the Head of the National Planning and Development Agency Emília Pires, consists of eight representatives from the National Council, UNTAET and UNDP. Half of the team is East Timorese. The Working Group will produce a report by the end of May identifying specific positions, functions and skills that need to be urgently filled at the end of UNTAET’s mandate. The report will also clarify which positions still need to be filled by international staff. In addition, the report will give some indications on policy directions and strategies for training, among other things. Non-Governmental Organizations, the church, CNRT and the National Council, among others, will be consulted on the design of the follow-up mission.

TRAINING FOR TRAINERS ON CIVIC EDUCATION

The National Steering Committee for Civic Education will conduct a week-long training for trainers on the civic education campaign. Fifty-two representatives from four organizations from all 13 districts will take part in the training, which will start next week in Dili. The participants, from CNRT, the NGO Forum, the East Timor Women Network and the Student Solidarity Council, will form a national team of trainers and serve as community facilitators for the civic education campaign. The training will focus on the election, human rights, the constitution, peace, stability and security, democracy and participation. The training is jointly coordinated by UNTAET’s Civic Education Unit and the other members of the National Steering Committee for Civic Education – the Catholic Church, CNRT, NGO Forum, East Timor Women Network, University of East Timor, the primary and secondary schools, Student Solidarity Council, UNTAET and UNDP. All trainers will use the same information material and will launch a campaign in East Timor starting by late April. The campaign will go on until the August elections, when it will be evaluated for further civic education work. The campaign will be conducted through face-to-face education, radio, television, print media and community initiatives such as debates, concerts and school activities.