Xanana Gusmão Urges Unity Against Online Fraud at CPLP Summit
East Timor’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, has called for a united international front to combat the rising tide of online fraud, warning that transnational cybercrime poses a significant threat to both individual citizens and national economies.
A Call for Unified Defense
Speaking at the opening of the XIX Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) in Dili, Gusmão emphasized that the digital nature of modern crime requires a borderless response. The conference, themed “Combating online fraud: protecting citizens and international legal cooperation in the face of new transnational crime,” brought together high-level legal officials from across the Lusophone world.
“To realize our cooperation is to make commitments,” Gusmão stated. “It is to strengthen coordination between Ministries of Justice, judicial authorities, criminal police, and regulatory entities so that the response to online fraud is not fragmented, but articulated.”
Strengthening Digital Evidence and Training
The Timorese leader outlined a comprehensive strategy for the CPLP member states, advocating for increased investment in professional training and the seamless sharing of judicial decisions. A key pillar of his proposal involves “cooperation in matters of digital evidence,” ensuring that prosecutors and investigators have the tools needed to track criminals across digital borders.
Gusmão urged his counterparts to deepen their reliance on the Legal and Judicial Cooperation Network of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. He stressed the need for functional contact points and the rapid, secure circulation of information to prevent cybercriminals from exploiting bureaucratic delays.
Reform Challenges in East Timor
While championing international efforts, the Prime Minister also addressed the domestic front. He acknowledged that East Timor’s justice sector still faces “permanent challenges,” noting that comprehensive reform remains a top priority for his administration.
The high-profile event saw the participation of Portugal’s Minister of Justice, Rita Júdice, and the Minister of Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, and Women’s Rights of São Tomé and Príncipe, Vera Cravid. Other member states, including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, were represented by ambassadors and senior justice policy directors. The conference concluded its sessions today with a focus on streamlining legal frameworks to keep pace with evolving technological threats.
Image: Pexels – Tima Miroshnichenko
