Prabowo Meets Timor Leste President and 10 Nobel Laureates, Discusses Cooperation
President Prabowo Subianto met with Timor Leste President José Ramos-Horta and a number of Nobel laureates. The meeting discussed strengthening relations between Indonesia and Timor Leste as well as opportunities for cooperation in science and technology.
Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Arif Satria explained that the Nobel laureates attended to pay a courtesy call on the president, while also strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Timor Leste. Ramos-Horta himself received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 together with Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.
“Earlier the President also conveyed that the Good Neighbor Policy is a priority for the President to continue maintaining cooperative relations with ASEAN countries and neighbouring countries, and earlier it was also touched upon regarding cooperation in science and technology,” said Arif after the meeting.
The meeting also discussed cooperation in science and technology. Prabowo encouraged the Nobel laureates to collaborate with researchers and academics in Indonesia.
Arif also said the involvement of Nobel laureates is considered important to provide inspiration as well as to strengthen the national research talent ecosystem. “The President also very much hopes that this collaboration can be carried out as soon as possible,” said Arif.
BRIN already has cooperation with one Nobel laureate from Japan, Susumu Kitagawa. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2025 for the development of metal organic frameworks (MOF).
BRIN and Kitagawa are cooperating in the development of MOF technology that can be utilised for natural gas in Indonesia. Kitagawa has also built a sister laboratory in Indonesia to produce natural gas at lower pressure based on the findings developed.
On that occasion Arif also said the president discussed a number of strategic programmes such as food security and Indonesia’s experience in implementing the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme.
“Regarding food security, our experience with MBG, and the President also continues to emphasise the commitment to build fishing villages. Then the President also emphasised continuing to build awareness in strengthening conservation in Indonesia,” he said.
The ten Nobel laureates in attendance were:
Prof. Frances H. Arnold, Nobel laureate in chemistry
Mr Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel laureate in peace
Sir Tim Hunt, Nobel laureate in physiology
Prof. Benjamin List, Nobel laureate in chemistry
Prof. Robert C. Merton, Nobel laureate in economics
Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Nobel laureate in physics
Prof. James A. Robinson, Nobel laureate in economics
Prof. Brian P. Schmidt, Nobel laureate in physics
Prof. Sara Seager, Nobel laureate in astrophysics
Peter Badge, official photographer for Nobel laureates.