About
José Ramos-Horta was born on 26 December 1949 in Dili, East Timor (now Timor-Leste), to a Timorese mother and a Portuguese father exiled for opposing the Salazar dictatorship. He served as Foreign Minister of the FRETILIN government-in-exile in 1975 and spent 24 years in exile as the international voice of the Timorese independence cause at the UN. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, shared with Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, for their work toward a just and peaceful solution to the East Timor conflict. After the 1999 referendum, he returned to East Timor and held posts as Minister for Foreign Affairs (2002–2006), Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (2006–2007), and President (2007–2012).
* 1949-12-26
Key milestones
- 1996Co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo.
- 2008Survived an assassination attempt on 11 February, shot in the stomach and lung.
- 2022Re-elected President of Timor-Leste for a second non-consecutive term.
Themes
East Timor independencePeaceful conflict resolutionInternational diplomacyEconomic developmentRegional integration (ASEAN)
Sources: nobelprize.org · presidenciarepublica.tl · britannica.com