His Excellency Dr. Rogério Tiagio de Fatima Lobato, President of the Special Administrative Region of Oé-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA), in partnership with the private enterprise Core Management Corporation (CMC), formally officiated the launch of the Oé-Cusse Digital Centre (ODC) Smart Hub Project. The transformative initiative will span approximately 141 hectares within the Lagoa (Rawa-Rawa) zone, situated in Costa Village, Pante Macassar Administrative Post, Oé-Cusse, Timor-Leste.
The ODC represents a strategic foreign direct investment from Malaysia, led by CMC, and is envisioned as a comprehensive, multi-sectoral development encompassing luxury tourism, cutting-edge digital infrastructure, and renewable energy solutions.
In his keynote address, President Dr. Rogério Lobato underscored the significance of this collaboration, noting that RAEOA has welcomed CMC’s investment initiative, which will be financed entirely by private capital. The project is expected to catalyze regional growth and provide meaningful employment opportunities for local youth through the creation of a future-oriented urban hub.
“This is a landmark investment for our region. Today’s launch marks the beginning of development on state-designated land with foreign private capital, not government funds. The goal is to build a new city here—one that brings unique opportunities and long-term benefits, particularly for our people,” stated His Excellency during the launch ceremony held at the Oe-Upu Hotel in Sanane Hamlet.
President Lobato further described the initiative as one of the most substantial private investments to date in RAEOA and expressed hope that it would serve as an inspirational model for Timor-Leste in attracting and facilitating responsible foreign investment.
“Our investors have informed us that construction is expected to begin within the next three to four months. This will provide tangible opportunities for local businesses, including those with logistics and construction capabilities, to actively participate in the development process. It is important to note that this is a privately funded venture, independent of the government budget,” he added.
Mr. Ken Lim, Director of the Core Group of Companies (CMC), conveyed his sincere appreciation for the strong partnership between CMC and the RAEOA Authority. He reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to working collaboratively with local authorities and communities to ensure the project delivers inclusive and sustainable development.
“We are honored to continue working closely with the RAEOA Authority and all relevant stakeholders, particularly the local community, to realize the full potential of this initiative. All workforce recruitment will be focused within Oecusse—we are committed to prioritizing local talent,” affirmed Mr. Lim.
