Timor-Leste President says he would nominate UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for Nobel Peace Prize

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta has said he would nominate UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the Nobel Peace Prize, praising the UAE’s extensive contributions to global peace efforts, humanitarian aid, and quiet diplomacy.

The remarks were made during a wide-ranging conversation at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Ramos-Horta, himself a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was speaking to CNN correspondent Eleni Giokos when he was asked about his record of identifying and nominating potential peace prize candidates a record Giokos noted he “almost always gets right.”

When asked whether US President Donald Trump should be nominated, Ramos-Horta responded with humor, noting that Trump had already received a symbolic peace prize from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the most recent Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

“Well, President Trump already got the peace prize from the lady from Venezuela who handed over to him her peace prize, so he already got one,” he said. He then added more seriously, “Now, seriously, if I’m going to nominate someone, I tell you I will nominate Sheikh Mohamed.”

Ramos-Horta said global perceptions of the UAE often focus on its wealth and modern cities while overlooking its humanitarian and diplomatic contributions. “Everybody knows about the UAE, everybody knows about Dubai, about Abu Dhabi, but little do they know about how this little country is very rich, but how this little country has supported so many humanitarian efforts,” he said.

Highlighting the scale of the UAE’s international assistance, he noted that the country’s aid contributions, relative to its GDP, rank among the highest globally. “If you look at the GDP and the proportion of UAE contribution to development, to humanitarian relief, and all of that, it is one of the highest in the world,” he said.

Ramos-Horta also pointed to the UAE’s role in mediating international conflicts, much of which he said takes place discreetly. “Behind the scenes, quietly, they have mediated numerous conflicts, Eritrea and Ethiopia,” he said, adding that recent talks between Russia and Ukraine were also held in the UAE.

“These efforts are done with incredible discretion, particularly by Sheikh Mohamed,” Ramos-Horta said. “He’s a very, very humble, very quiet person. He doesn’t like his name to be mentioned.”

The comments come as the UAE continues to expand its humanitarian operations worldwide. In Gaza, the country has delivered emergency aid and medical assistance, established field hospitals, and facilitated the evacuation and treatment of injured civilians. The UAE has also provided financial and humanitarian support to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis, alongside long-running aid and development programmes across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.