Francisco Seixas da Costa

Francisco Seixas da Costa

Francisco Seixas da Costa, GCC, CMG, (Vila Real, 1948) is a retired Portuguese diplomat. He was also member of Portuguese governments. He is now consultant in the private sector and media commentator on international affairs.

Main official functions

• 1975-2013 - Career diplomat, Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• 1979-1982 - Embassy of Portugal in Oslo, Norway;
• 1982-1986 - Embassy of Portugal in Luanda, Angola;
• 1986-1987 - Head of Division, European Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon;
• 1987-1990 - Adviser to the Secretary of State for Development Co-operation, Lisbon;
• 1990-1994 - Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Portugal in London, UK;
• 1994-1995 - Deputy Director-General for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lisbon;
• 1995-2001 - Secretary of State (Deputy Foreign Minister) for European Affairs, Lisbon;
• 2001-2002 - Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York;
• 2002-2004 - Permanent Representative to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Vienna;
• 2004-2008 - Ambassador to Brazil.
• 2009-2013 - Ambassador to France.
• 2010-2013 - Also ambassador to Monaco.
• 2012-2013 - Also Permanent Representative to UNESCO (United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture)

Other official functions

• 1987-1989 - Portuguese chief negotiator of Lomé IV convention
• 1990-1993 - Deputy permanent representative to the Western European Union (WEU)
• 1995-2001 - Head of the Portuguese delegations to the Council of Europe (CoE), the Organisation for Economic and Development Co-Operation (OECD) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meetings
• 1995/97 - Portuguese chief negotiator of the EU Amsterdam treaty
• 1997 - President of the Committee of ministers of the Schengen Agreement
• 2000 - President of the Council of ministers of the EU Internal Market
• 2000 - Portuguese chief negotiator of the EU Nice treaty
• 2001 - Vice-president of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• 2001/02 - Chairman of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial affairs) of the 56th UN General Assembly
• 2002- Vice-president of the 57th UN General Assembly
• 2002 - President of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europa (OSCE)
• 2001/02 - Member of the Board of the United Nations Fund for Internationals Partnerships
• 2013/2014 - Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe

Other functions

• 2009/13 - President of the General Council of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro University (UTAD)
• 2010/18 - Member of the Consultative Council of the School of Economics, University of Coimbra
• 2011/13 - Member of the General Council of Guimarães - European Capital of Culture 2012
• 2013/18 - Member of the Consultative Council, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
• 2014/18 - Invited professor, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa
• 2015/18 - Invited professor, Universidade Europeia, Lisbon
• 2018/21 - Member of the Independent General Council, Radio e Televisão de Portugal S. A., Lisbon

Current functions

• Since 2013 - Strategic consultant
• Since 2013 - Member of the Consultative Council, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
• Since 2015 - Media commentator in international affairs
• Since 2016 - Member of the Advisory Council, Chancery for Civil Merit Orders, Presidency of Republic, Lisbon
• Since 2019 - Chairman of Club of Lisbon - Global Challenges

Bibliography

• "Diplomacia Europeia - Instituições, Alargamento e o Futuro da União" ("European Diplomacy - the institutions, the enlargement and the future of the Union"), Lisbon, 2002;
• "Uma Segunda Opinião - Notas de Política Externa e Diplomacia" ("A Second Opinion - Notes on External Policy and Diplomacy"), Lisbon, 2006;
• "As Vésperas e a Alvorada de Abril" ("The vespers and the April dawn"), Brasília, 2007;
• "Tanto Mar? - Portugal, o Brasil e a Europa" ("So much sea? - Portugal, Brazil and Europe"), Brasília, 2008.
• "Apontamentos" ("Notes"), Lisbon, 2008.
• “A Cidade Imaginária” (Imaginary City), Vila Real, 2021.