More than 20 public projects in East Timor have been flagged for problems or vulnerability to corruption, according to a report by the Anti-Corruption Commission of East Timor.
The annual report for 2025, presented to parliament on Monday, states that the commission reviewed 86 state-funded projects out of a broader list of 500.
“Of the 86 projects analysed, 25 showed problems or vulnerabilities to corruption,” the report notes.
Among these, the commission highlighted 13 projects under the National Electrification Programme — launched between 2013 and 2016 — which remain incomplete or abandoned. Another 12 problematic projects were identified under the Infrastructure Fund and various ministerial programmes.
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The CAC pointed to multiple irregularities, including contract violations, deviations from technical designs, discrepancies in quantity estimates, lack of financial capacity among contractors, breaches of procurement rules, delays in final payments, and insufficient oversight by responsible authorities.
“In two cases, new projects were launched on top of previous ones that had not yet been completed,” the report added.
The commission also identified 15 projects with indications of corruption-related crimes and referred them for criminal investigation.
In 2025, the CAC received 83 public complaints related to suspected corruption and conducted investigations into 51 cases. A total of 27 cases were completed and forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
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The report further states that 10,972 asset declarations were filed during the year, and sanctions were imposed on 2,398 offenders, resulting in total fines of $303,000.
“Despite challenges related to limited resources and the complexity of cases, the institution continues its efforts to promote good governance, transparency and integrity in public administration,” the report concludes.
