New Permanent Representative of Portugal Presents Credentials

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

The new Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, Francisco António Duarte Lopes, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Prior to his new appointment, Mr. Duarte Lopes served at Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon, where he was promoted to the rank of Ambassador in December 2015.  He had previously assumed the rank of Political Director in July 2014.  He was Director-General for European Affairs from January 2012 and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State for European Affairs from June 2011 to January 2012.  From October 2009 until June 2011, he was the diplomatic adviser to the Prime Minister.

From August 2005 to September 2009, Mr. Duarte Lopes was the coordinator at Portugal’s Permanent Representation to the European Union, where he was previously Counsellor in charge of Institutional Affairs.  From 2003 to 2004, he was Director for Institutional Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.  Prior to that he served as an adviser to the Secretary of State for European Union Affairs from 2002 to 2003.

He headed the Ministry’s Human Resources Section between 2000 and 2002 and served as Chargé d’affaires at Portugal’s Embassy in Denmark from 1995 to 2000.

A career diplomat, he began his professional service as an attaché in the Foreign Ministry’s Consular Section in 1989, before being posted to Pakistan from 1993 to 1995.

Mr. Duarte Lopes holds a law degree from the Faculdade de Direito de Lisboa.

Born in Castelo Branco, Portugal, in August 1963, he is married and has two children.