Jose Antonio Morato Tavares

Jose Antonio Morato Tavares (born 16 September 1960), often written Jose Tavares, is an Indonesian diplomat who has been serving as the Ambassador of Indonesia to Russia and Belarus since 26 October 2020. He was previously Ambassador of Indonesia to New Zealand (along with Samoa and Tonga) between 2013 and 2016. Originating from East Timor and moving to West Timor upon the outbreak of the East Timorese civil war, he joined Indonesia's foreign service in 1987.

Early life and education Tavares was born in Balibo on 16 September 1960. His father, João da Costa Tavares, worked at the government. He was the first child of nine siblings. When Carnation Revolution occurred, he was a high school student in Dili. In 1975, a civil war broke out in East Timor, prompting him and his family to seek refuge in Atambua.

In 2000, he moved to Paris and served as the Deputy Chief of Indonesia’s Mission to UNESCO for four years. Afterwards, in 2007, he was posted in Geneva as a representative of the Permanent Mission of Indonesia to the United Nations, responsible for peace and security and disarmament.

Ambassador to New Zealand Yudhoyono appointed Tavares as the Ambassador of Indonesia to New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga on 24 December 2013. He presented his credential letters to Jerry Mateparae on 12 March 2014. He served as Ambassador to New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga until 2016. He presented credential letters to Putin on 18 May 2021. Four months later, on 30 September, he send credential letters to Lukashenko.

Under his tenure, Tavares inaugurated the Indonesian cultural center, Rumah Nusantara, on 4 May 2025 at the Embassy of Indonesia in Moscow. Other than that, the Embassy of Indonesia held batik exhibition and promotion in the on 3 October 2021.

Personal life Tavares is a Catholic. He married a daughter of his superior in the foreign ministry, deputy foreign minister Triyono Wibowo, Fitria Wibowo in 2012 in Bangkok.