Dili, 17 November 2016 - The vice Minister of Finance, Mr. Helder Lopes launches the 2015's census result at the meeting room of Ministry of Social Solidary, Caicoli. The launches ceremony is attended by representative of line ministries, UN agencies, diplomatic corps, national and international agencies and other partners.

During the opening ceremony, the vice Minister of Finance, Mr. Lopes states that there is need to use evidence based data when designing and planning for program and financial to have proper program planning and budgeting for country's development strategic plans. Data information is power, knowledge and security. Investments we are doing right now where there is no use of evidence based data. When we have solid data, it helps us to deliver our programs in better ways." He also thanks to all entities who involves during data collection, analysis and the launch today. He specially thanks to UNFPA Timor-Leste for providing both technical and financial support.

Mr. John Pile, UNFPA's representative in Timor-Leste in his brief remark states that Timor-Leste is developing fast, and the demographic shifts occurring make accurate and timely data more important than ever. The census is vital source for ensuring that "no one is left behind' in the development agenda. It provides information that helps raise awareness about population issues among decision-makers and the public to identify forms of social, demographic or economic exclusion, on disadvantages regions and vulnerable groups, such as the poor, the young, the old, people living with disabilities, and women and girls. Indeed providing support for census data for development is critical part of UNFPA's mandate and I speak for UNFPA as a whole by stating that the organization is proud to support the Government of Timor-Leste and the General Directorate of Statistic in particular in carrying out our mandate in Timor-Leste. We wish our development partners the greatest success in achieving their goals through the use of the census data in programming between now and the 2020, when the next census will be conducted.

After the opening remarks it follows by the presentation of the Census result by Mr. Elias Pereira, General Directorate of Statistic. The census results covers on health, education, agriculture, labor force and others. Following the launching there will be a three day on census related data at GDS's office Caicoli. The next steps are publishing and disseminating census result to program managers and all partners in all municipalities' level.