PM Horta Opens USAID-Backed Business Center
Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta opened the USAID-supported East Timor Development Agency (ETDA) Business Center, the first of its kind for jobseekers in the country. Some of the resources available in the Center are affordable internet access, as well as self-paced learning tools for skills development, and a jobs database that matches employers and job vacancies with those seeking work. USAID, through its Small Grants Program, helped ETDA start up the Business Center with in-kind assistance. US Charge d’Affaires Gary Gray, in inaugurating the Center with the Prime Minister, noted that: "It is absolutely critical that we find ways of creating jobs, especially for Timorese youth.” Unemployment is a major problem in Timor-Leste, especially among youth, and many believe it contributed to the recent crisis. (Jan. 16, 2007)

Ministry of Agriculture to Undertake Avian Influenza Awareness Activities
To date, Timor-Leste has been fortunate to have avoided Avian Influenza. However, it borders the country with the most human cases detected and which poses the greatest number of challenges from the standpoint of surveillance, Indonesia. USAID, through the Food and Agriculture Organization, is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, to initiate communication and public awareness activities for the prevention and control of Avian influenza in Timor-Leste. Despite last year’s crisis, the Ministry has thus far managed to: educate community and village livestock workers in border areas about the dangers of Avian Influenza; train District Livestock Officers in all 13 districts on the use of rapid test kits; and field-test information, education, and communication (IEC) awareness materials in border areas. (Jan. 16, 2007)

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