Prabowo Receives Timor Leste President Today, Alongside 20 Nobel Laureates

President Prabowo Subianto received Timor Leste President José Ramos-Horta at the Merdeka Palace on Friday (28/8/2026). Several ministers and agency heads had already arrived at the palace complex to accompany the president.

“We were invited by the president to accompany him because of the meeting with the Timor Leste president. Usually afterwards there are several matters to be discussed related to the current situation, and what BRIN can contribute as a solution,” said Arif Satria, Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), to reporters.

Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir also said that President Ramos-Horta brought around 20 delegates who are Nobel laureates. They had previously been in Timor Leste attending a science-related meeting on 24–26 August.

“The delegation accompanying President Ramos-Horta consists of Nobel laureates from various fields. There are those from peace, science, chemistry, food, and others,” said Arrmanatha.

Among the ministers and agency heads present were Velix Vernando Wanggai, Chair of the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Development in Papua; Sigit P. Santosa, President Director of PT Pindad; Ribka Haluk, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs; and Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology.