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East Timor�s constitution took effect when the territory officially became independent in May 2002. It provides for a democratic republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. All citizens aged 18 and older have the right to vote.

The prime minister oversees the day-to-day functioning of government and chairs the Council of Ministers. The prime minister is designated by the political party or alliance of political parties with a majority in the national legislature and formally appointed by the president. Ministers are also appointed by the president, following the recommendations of the prime minister.

As head of the first government of an independent Timor-Leste, the Prime Minister is charged with the enormous task of building a government from almost nothing. The United Nations second mission in Timor-Leste (UNTAET - United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor) acted as the governing body of Timor-Leste from 2000 to May 20, 2002 when Timor-Leste made the final transition to independence.

Now, the Prime Minister and his government are rebuilding the country and its institutions with minimal resources including a severe lack of human resources and skills. They are reconstructing a nation in which most homes, government buildings and essential infrastructure were destroyed by exiting Indonesian militia in 1999 after an overwhelming vote for independence. The government is facing the challenges of unacceptably high rates of illiteracy, infant mortality, and post-conflict trauma. Most people in Timor-Leste do not have access to running water or electricity in their homes. And, the people of Timor-Leste are coming to terms with freedom and the ideals of democracy after more than 400 years of colonization and occupation.

This first government of Timor-Leste and its Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, have tackled these difficulties in the first two years of its five year term. With the support of its development partners, the government has written and approved the Timor-Leste Constitution, and in accordance with the Constitution a National Development Plan and The Road Map for the implementation of NDP programs. The Timor-Leste Government is considered by the World Bank to be the 'strongest institution in Timor-Leste". Despite weaknesses in other institutions the government upholds and practices the principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

The Prime Minister is committed to ensuring the government continues to reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of the people of Timor-Leste. He is also committed to ensuring the development of all important sectors relevant to this objective as set out in the National Development Plan with the hope of a prosperous and safe future for Timor-Leste.

Dr. José Ramos-Horta : The Prime Minister

Ironically this internationally recognized leader of Timor-Leste has spent most of his life exiled from his homeland.
Educated in a Soibada catholic mission, Ramos-Horta trained and worked as a journalist.

When Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975, Ramos-Horta was on his way to the United Nations Security Council, urging them to take action in the face of the Indonesian Military onslaught that killed one third of the Timorese population.
Despite his exile, in 1991 Ramos-Horta was elected Vice President of the National Council Maubere Resistance (CNRM), an umbrella organization of pro-independence movements both in and outside East Timor.
In 1998, he was again elected Vice President for CNRM's successor organistaion - CNRT.

In December 1996, Dr. José Ramos-Horta shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his fellow countryman Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo.
The Committee chose to honor the two laureates for their "sustained efforts to find diplomatic solution to the conflict of East Timor based on the people's right to self determination.
The Committee considers Dr. José Ramos-Horta the leading international spokesman for East Timor's cause since 1975.

Personal data
Date and place of birth: 26.12.1949, Dili -Timor-Leste
Marital status: Divorced
Children: One son
Normal residence: Dili and Sydney

Current positions

Senior Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Timor-Leste Visiting Professor, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney (1996-uptodate )
Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Victoria, Melbourne (2000-uptodate )

Other active positions

Acting president, Uma Fukun, East Timor Cultural Centre, Dili
Member of the Council of Honour, University of Peace, Costa Rica
Member of the Nobel Peace Commission on Arms Control
Co-President, State of the World Forum, San Francisco, CA
Founder, lecturer and member of the Board of Directors, Diplomacy and Human Rights
Program, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Founder and main benefactor, "JRH Micro-Credit Program for the Poor"
Honorary Chairman, Timor Aid, Dili, Timor-Leste

Major international conferences attended
In the course of many years, attended and actively participated in numerous thematic international conferences dealing with self-determination and de-colonization, human rights, law of the sea, world criminal court, small arms and disarmament, etc.

Below some highlights:

United Nations General Assembly, New York (since 1976)
UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva (since 1979)
Security Council (numerous times)
Special Committee on De-colonization (since 1976)
The Hague Peace Appeal (1999)
Forum 2000, Prague, hosted by President Vaclav Havel
State of the World Forum (in San Francisco, Dublin, New York)
World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, January 2000.
Second World Human Rights Conference, Vienna (1993)
Nobel Peace Prize Lawreates meeting in Charlotville, Virginia, US (1997)

Major International Awards
2001 - Hollywood Film Festival Humanitarian Award
2000 - Gold Medal of the President of Italy
1999 - First Hague Peace Appeal Award
1998 - Gold Medal of the University of Coimbra
1998 -The Gran Cross of the Order of Freedom, President of Portugal
1997 - Medal of the University of San Francisco
1996 - Nobel Peace Prize, Oslo
1996 - First UNPO Freedom Prize, The Hague
1995 - International Peace Activist Award, Gleitsman Foundation, CA
1993 - Professor Thorof Rafto Human Rights Award, Bergen.

Previous professional positions (1969-1974)

Reporter, editor, photojournalist
Radio announcer, TV correspondent

Early political activities and positions (1975-1990)

Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Information, ASDT (Timorese Social Democratic Association (1974).
Minister for External Relations and Information, RDTL (1975-78)
FRETILIN Representative to the United Nations and the US (1976-1990).

Special government experience

1986–1988

Media Adviser to the government of Mozambique based in Washington.

In this position, helped prepare high level visits to the US by Mozambican leaders, including the President and Foreign Minister, establish Mozambique’s first lobby in Washington, develop relations with the Administration and Congress, and with the Media.

1989–1998

Special Representative of the National Council of Maubere Resistance (CNRM) and Personal Representative of the leader of the Resistance, Xanana Gusmao.
Vice-President, National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), elected at the CNRT founding National Convention, held in Lisbon, April1998, re-elected at the first National Congress held in East Timor, August 2000 (April 1998-June 2001).

Academic background

Diploma, Executive Program for Leaders in Development, Harvard University (1998)
Master of Arts in Peace Studies, Antioch University, USA (1984)
Senior Fellow in International Relations, St. Antony's College, Oxford University (1987)
Post-graduate courses in American Foreign Policy at Columbia University (1983)
Public International Law, the Hague Academy of International Law (1984)
International Human Rights Law, the International Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France (1984).
Diploma in Advanced Studies in Public Relations, International Centre for Marketing (1973).
Senior High School and elementary school in East Timor (1964 -1969).
Elementary School, Catholic Mission School, Soibada (1957-1964).

Degrees Doctor Honoris Causa

Political Enthusiast

But he established his political roots from an early age.

He entered political life in January 1970, when he was 20, with the establishment of the Movement for the Liberation of East Timor when the territory was still under Portuguese rule.

Mr Alkatiri went on to become one of the founder members of Fretilin, the party which was instrumental in achieving East Timor's independence from Indonesian rule.

'Tough negotiator'

When East Timor finally voted to become independent he entered the interim administration as economics minister, forging his reputation as a tough operator as chief negotiator over the rich petroleum resources in the sea between Australia and Timor.

The Prime Minister is the head of the Timor-Leste Government and is ultimately responsible to the people of Timor-Leste for policy development and the decisions taken by the government.

Doctor of Laws, Pontífica Universidade Católica, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil (1996)
Doctor of Laws, Antioch University, USA (1997)
Doctor of Laws, University of New South Wales, Sydney (1998)
Doctor of Laws, Rutgers University, New Jersey (2000)
Doctor of Laws, University of Oporto (2000)
Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Nevada, Reno (2000).
Doctor of Laws, Sunshine Coast University (2001).

Books and other writings

FUNU: The Unfinished Saga of East Timor, Red Sea Press, Trenton, NJ (1987)
TIMOR LESTE: Amanhã em Dili, Dom Quixote, Lisbon (1994). Translated into French, German, Norwegian.
East Timor and International Law (1984), MA Thesis, Antioch University, USA
Opinion articles published in the International Herald Tribune, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, Guardian, Le Monde, Le Monde Diplomatique, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Folha de São Paulo, etc.

Languages
Dr. Ramos-Horta speaks Portuguese, Tetun, English, French, and Spanish.

Government Palace
Infante D.Henrique
Díli, Timor-Leste
E-mail: gabinetemnec@yahoo.com
Chief of Staff: 00 670 7232921

Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

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