The head of East Timor's National Intelligence Service (SNI), Longuinhos Monteiro, is facing major challenges since taking up the job in September 2023, including building up the small service by using limited financial resources to recruit and train new agents, particularly in cybersecurity and the fight against disinformation.

The tiny country's need for international partnerships come with East Timor torn between its imposing neighbour Australia and a China that is constantly advancing in the Pacific