António da Conceição

António da Conceição (born 8 October 1964), also known by his nom de guerre Kalohan (transl. "Cloud"),[1] is an East Timorese politician, and a member of the Democratic Party (PD). He has held several Ministries in the government, and as of 2021 was a Member of the National Parliament.

This article is about the East Timorese politician. For the Portuguese football manager and former player, see Toni Conceição.

António da Conceição
Conceição in 2020
Member of the National Parliament
Assumed office
13 June 2018 (2018-06-13)
Minister for Commerce and Industry
In office
15 September 2017 (2017-09-15) – 22 June 2018 (2018-06-22)
Prime MinisterMari Alkatiri
Preceded byConstâncio Pinto
Succeeded byÁgio Pereira (acting)
Minister of State, Coordinator of Social Affairs and Minister of Education
In office
10 August 2015 (2015-08-10) – 15 September 2017 (2017-09-15)
Prime MinisterRui Maria de Araújo
Preceded byFernando de Araújo
Succeeded byRui Maria de Araújo (acting)
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment
In office
8 August 2012 (2012-08-08) – 10 August 2015 (2015-08-10)
Prime Minister
Preceded byGil Alves
Succeeded byConstâncio Pinto
Personal details
Born (1964-10-08) 8 October 1964
Leorema, Liquiçá
Portuguese Timor
(now East Timor)
Political partyDemocratic Party (PD)
SpouseFátima Néves Camões

Early life and career

Conceição was born in Leorema, Liquiçá, Portuguese Timor (now East Timor). He went to elementary school at the Children's College of Sagres (Portuguese: Colégio Infantil de Sagres) in Maliana until 1975. Then, after a short break, he attended the Seminary of Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese: Seminário Menor de Nossa Senhora de Fátima) in Dare, Dili, and St Joseph's High School (Portuguese: Colégio de São José) in Balide, Dili. From 1987 to 1991, he studied philosophy and theology in Malang, Indonesia.[2]

During the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, Conceição was a member of the National Resistance of East Timorese Students (Portuguese: Resistência Nacional dos Estudantes de Timor-Leste (Renetil)). While studying in Malang, he was also the regional secretary of Renetil.[2] From 1991, he was part of Renetil's eight-member Presidium,[3] and he was active in the resistance until 1999. In 2001, together with other members of RENETIL, he founded the PD.[2]

In 1999, Conceição was the Executive Officer of Timor Aid based in Dili.[4] From 2001 to 2002, he was the Advisor to the II UNTAET Transitional Government on the Development of the Commission on Planning.[5] He then completed a Master's degree in international relations and strategic studies at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom from 2003 to 2005.[2][6]

Political career

In the 2012 East Timorese parliamentary election, Conceição was elected to the National Parliament from fourth place on the PD list. However, on 8 August 2021 he was sworn in as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment in the V Constitutional Government under Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão. He therefore had to give up his parliamentary seat.[7][8]

When the VI Constitutional Government was formed in February 2015 by new Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araújo, Conceição retained his ministerial office.[9] On 2 June 2015, the leader of the PD, Fernando de Araújo, died suddenly. He had also been Minister of State, Coordinator of Social Affairs and Minister of Education, and on 10 August 2015, Conceição was appointed to succeed him in all three of those offices. Conceição's successor as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment was Constâncio Pinto.[10]

In March 2016, the coalition between CNRT and PD broke down, over a conflict between the government and parliament on the one hand and President Taur Matan Ruak on the other. The dispute related to the appointment of the Commander of the Timor Leste Defence Force. To ensure the stability of the government, Conceição and the other members of the PD in the executive announced their withdrawal from the party. They kept their offices as independent politicians.[11]

Despite this development, Conceição remained Secretary General of the PD,[2] and on 27 January 2017 he finally declared his candidacy for the 2017 East Timorese presidential election as the PD's nominee.[12] In the vote on 20 March 2017, he received just under one third of the ballots cast, and finished in second place.[13] Subsequently, in the parliamentary election of 2017, Conceição was elected to the National Parliament from second place on the PD list. However, he only attended the first day of parliament on 5 September 2017 and then waived his seat in favor of Júlio Sarmento da Costa.[14]

Conceição during a parliamentary session in 2020
Conceição during a parliamentary session in 2020

On 15 September 2017, Conceição was sworn in as Minister for Commerce and Industry in the VII Constitutional Government under Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.[15] As that Fretilin / PD minority administration could not prevail in the National Parliament, President Francisco Guterres dissolved the parliament and called a fresh parliamentary election.[16] In the election, held on 12 May 2018, Conceição was again elected, from second place on the PD list, to the parliament, in which the PD initially became part of the opposition.[17] His tenure as a Minister ended when the VIII Constitutional Government took office on 22 June 2018.[18]

As of 2021, Conceição was a Member of the V Legislature of East Timor and two of its Committees.[19]

Personal life

Conceição is married to Fátima Néves Camões.[2]

References
  1. Leach, Michael (21 March 2017). "Timor-Leste election: Likely victory for Lu Olo suggests business as usual". The Interpreter. Lowy Institute. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  2. "Ramos-Horta: Lu-Olo e Kalohan têm qualidade para ser Presidente" [Ramos-Horta: Lu-Olo and Kalohan have the quality to be President] (in Portuguese). ANTIL. 16 March 2017.
  3. Nicholson, Dan. The Lorikeet Warriors: East Timorese new generation nationalist resistance, 1989-99 (PDF) (BA (Hons)). University of Melbourne. p. 56. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. "Timor Aid Mercy Ship". reliefweb. 29 September 1999. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  5. "II UNTAET Transitional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  6. Conceição, António da. "O futuro dos futuros". timorcrocodilovoador.com.br. Archived from the original on 25 September 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  7. "Swearing in of the V Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  8. "V Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  9. "VI Constitutional Government". Government of Timor-Leste. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  10. "H.E. António da Conceição sworn in as the Minister of State, Coordinator of Social Affairs and Minister of Education". Government of Timor-Leste. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. "Ministro da Educação timorense fica no Governo para garantir "estabilidade governativa"" [Timorese Minister of Education stays in Government to ensure "government stability"]. Timor Agora (in Portuguese). ASP / APN. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  12. "Ministro da Educação timorense é candidato às eleições presidenciais" [Timorese Minister of Education is running for presidential elections]. Observador (in Portuguese). Lusa. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  13. Irham, Mast (21 March 2017). "Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo eleito Presidente de Timor-Leste" [Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo elected President of Timor-Leste]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  14. Chatarina, Julia (7 September 2017). "Membru Governu Jestaun Husu Substituisaun iha PN". Tatoli website (in Tetum). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. "VII Governo constitucional de Timor-Leste toma hoje posse incompleto" [VII Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste takes office today incomplete]. Diário de Notícias. Lusa. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. "East Timor president dissolves Parliament to hold new elections". The Straits Times. Reuters. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  17. "AVISO LISTA DEFINITIVA DE CANDIDATURAS ELEIÇÃO PARLAMENTAR 12 de Maio de 2018" [NOTICE DEFINITIVE LIST OF CANDIDATES PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION 12 May 2018] (PDF) (in Portuguese). Government of East Timor. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  18. "Transitional Ministerial Administration". Government of Timor-Leste. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  19. "António da Conceição". National Parliament of East Timor. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

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