Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TIMOR-LESTE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations, Nelson Santos, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Santos served as Secretary-General of the Timor-Leste Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (September 2002–September 2006).  In that capacity, he was responsible for the establishment of the fledgling nation’s Foreign Ministry.

Concurrently, he was the Director of Bilateral Affairs (May 2002-January 2007), for which he chaired successive Joint Ministerial Commissions involving Timor-Leste and Indonesia.  Among his achievements, Mr. Santos successfully negotiated the international border between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.  He also actively participated in the conclusion of negotiations between Timor-Leste and Australia on Timorese sea resources.

Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr. Santos was a public servant in Macao for several years, as Senior Officer for Macao Interpol (1997-2001), and as an officer at the Macao Court of Relations (1995-1997).  While working in Macao, Mr. Santos was also involved in the struggle by the Timorese resistance.

Mr. Santos received his Bachelor of Arts graduate degree in applied mathematics/statistics from Deakin University, Victoria, Australia in 1993.  He was also among the first graduates that year of the Diplomacy Training Program at the Law Faculty of the University of New South Wales.  In addition, he was selected to pursue a two-year internship with the International Services for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, which he completed in 1995.

Born in 1968 in Liquica, Timor-Leste, Mr. Santos is married with three children.

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For information media • not an official record