The Governance portfolio continues to focus on several key areas:

• The development of an effective public administration, including the formulation and enactment of a civil service act;
• The continued development of the justice sector, which started in 1999 with no Timorese judges or practicing lawyers, but successfully established the

• necessary key institutions that now require skilled personnel, facilities and equipment as well as supporting policies and laws;
• National reconciliation through support to the presidential commissions on veterans and ex-combatants and the Commission for Reception Truth and Reconciliation;
• The strengthening of the capacity of civil society organisations, and extending civic education to fulfil the basic information needs of citizens and the society; and
• The strengthening of the democratic institutions necessary for good governance, including continuing support to the national parliament, and the Office of the Inspector General. Support is also given to studies on local governance and decentralisation. These studies are designed to identify the most appropriate local governance structures and which services, responsibilities and powers should be decentralised to sub-national levels.