The Resource Curse in Timor-Leste

After Timor-Leste restored independence in 2002, the new nation established a rigorous system to manage oil and gas revenues and activities, based on international best practice. Policymakers hoped that it would protect the small nation from the ‘resource curse’ which afflicts countries that depend...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Scheiner, Charles
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:México
Institución:EL COLEGIO DE MÉXICO
Repositorio:Estudios de Asia y África
Idioma:español
OAI Identifier:oai:oai.estudiosdeasiayafrica.colmex.mx:article/2785
Acceso en línea:https://estudiosdeasiayafrica.colmex.mx/index.php/eaa/article/view/2785
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Timor-Leste
East Timor
economics
resource curse
oil and gas
Timor Oriental
economía
maldición de los recursos
petróleo y gas
Descripción
Sumario:After Timor-Leste restored independence in 2002, the new nation established a rigorous system to manage oil and gas revenues and activities, based on international best practice. Policymakers hoped that it would protect the small nation from the ‘resource curse’ which afflicts countries that depend on exporting non-renewable wealth. Within five years, petroleum exports were financing 85% of the state budget and comprised 75% of GDP. By 2021, with its known oil and gas reserves nearly depleted, Timor-Leste has made little progress toward diversifying into a sustainable economy or alleviating poverty and malnutrition. This paper explores what happened, and try to explain why well-intentioned legal and structural measures were not sufficient to avert the ‘paradox of plenty.’