Curriculum vitæ in English

Francisco Seixas da Costa

Francisco Manuel Seixas da Costa (born 28 January 1948, Vila Real, Portugal)


Academic Education

He completed his secondary education in Vila Real in 1966.

He attended the Electrical Engineering programme at the University of Porto between 1966 and 1968, without completing the degree.

He graduated in Political and Social Sciences from the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP), University of Lisbon, in 1974.


Student Association Activities 

Between 1968 and 1972 he was elected on three occasions to leadership positions in university student associations.

In 1970–1971 he served as President of the General Assembly of the Students’ Association of ISCSPU.

In 1968–1969 and 1972–1973 his election was not ratified following a ministerial decision.


Early Professional Career

He began his professional career at Caixa Geral de Depósitos, where he worked from 1971 and 1975.

He was also an external collaborator with the company Ciesa-NCK from 1974 to 1979.


Diplomatic Career

In 1975 he joined the Portuguese diplomatic service through open competitive examination.

Between 1975 and 1979 he served:

- at the Coordinating Office for Development Cooperation of the National Commission for Decolonisation and later of the Ministry for Cooperation (1975–1976);

- at the Directorate-General for Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1976–1979).

Between 1979 and 1982 he was posted to the Portuguese Embassy in Norway as First Secretary.

Between 1982 and 1986 he was posted to the Portuguese Embassy in Angola as Counsellor.

Between 1986 and 1990 he returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon, where he served:

- at the Directorate-General for the European Communities as Head of Division for Development Cooperation (1986–1987); 

- in the Office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation as Adviser for Development Cooperation (1987–1990).

During this period he was also appointed Director of the Programming and Planning Office of the Institute for Economic Cooperation (1988–1990), while remaining seconded to the above duties.

He joined the Portuguese negotiating team for Portugal’s accession to the Lomé III Convention (1986–1987).

He served as Portugal’s Chief Negotiator for the Lomé IV Convention (1988–1990).

Between 1990 and 1994 he was posted to the Portuguese Embassy in the United Kingdom as Minister-Counsellor and, in that capacity, as Deputy Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Western European Union (WEU) (London 1990–1993).

Between 1994 and 1995 he returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon as Deputy Director-General for European Affairs.

He served as Portugal’s alternate representative in the Reflection Group (Westendorp Group) established by the Council of Ministers of the European Union to prepare the revision of the Maastricht Treaty (1995).

Between 1995 and 2001 he suspended his diplomatic career in order to serve as Secretary of State for European Affairs (as described in the section on Political and Governmental Activity).

In 2001, at his own request, he left government office and returned to the diplomatic service and was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations in New York (2001–2002).

In that capacity he was elected: 

- Vice-President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (2001); 

- Chair of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) of the 56th United Nations General Assembly (2001–2002); 

 

- Vice-President of the 57th United Nations General Assembly (2002).

 

At the invitation of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he joined the Board of the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP) (2001–2002). 

He chaired the United Nations “Troika” of observers (with the United States of America and Russia) for the Angolan Peace Process (2002).

In 2002 he was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, in the year in which Portugal held the OSCE Chairmanship. In that capacity he chaired the OSCE Permanent Council (2002). He served at the OSCE until 2004.

Between 2003 and 2004 he chaired the OSCE Contact Group with the Asian Partners for Cooperation.

Between 2003 and 2004 he participated in OSCE missions to twelve countries, leading two of them (Republic of Korea and Japan).

He was also a member of the advisory task force to the Portuguese Government during the negotiations of the European Constitutional Treaty (2003–2004).

He was Ambassador of Portugal to Brazil (2005–2009).

He was Ambassador of Portugal to France (2009–2013). 

During this period he also served as:

- non-resident ambassador to Monaco (2010–2013);

- Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (2012–2013);

- Portugal’s representative on the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA) (2009–2013);

 

- Portugal’s representative to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) (2009–2013);

 

- Portugal’s delegate to the Latin Union (2012–2013);

 

- Portugal's delegate to the Paris Conference on Syria (2012);

 

- Portugal's delegate to the Union for the Mediterranean meeting in Paris (2012). 

He reached the statutory retirement age on 28 January 2013, when he was Ambassador to France, and left the external diplomatic service. He entered retirement from the Portuguese public service, at his own request, on 11 March 2013. 

Between 1 February 2013 and 31 January 2014 he served as Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. 

Other Functions during his Diplomatic Career 

- representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Interministerial Commission for Economic Relations with the Middle East and Maghreb countries (1976–1978).

- representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the structure created within the Export Promotion Fund responsible for defining country risk classifications for trade and investment (1978–1979). 

- representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Interministerial Commission for Cooperation (1988–1990). 

- serving as a member of the jury for admission to the diplomatic service (1994) and of the jury for promotion to the rank of Counsellor of Embassy (1994–1995).

- serving as a member of the Ambassadors’ Forum of the Portuguese Investment Agency (2003–2005).

- serving as Vice-President of the Board (1994–1995) and later President of the General Assembly (2013–2015) of the Portuguese Diplomatic Association (ASDP). 

- serving as founding member and member of the first board of the Association for Cooperation with the United Nations in Portugal (ACNUP) (1978–1979).

  

He was a member of Portuguese delegations to various other multilateral international meetings, notably within the framework of specialised United Nations bodies (UNCTAD, the Commission on Human Rights), the Lomé Conventions, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

During his diplomatic and political career he participated in delegations led by four Presidents of the Portuguese Republic on official or state visits to 14 countries, in delegations led by Portuguese government officials (prime ministers, ministers and secretaries of State) to 52 countries, and in other international delegations to 15 countries.

Political and Governmental Activity

In 1969, during the dictatorship, he joined the Democratic Electoral Commission of Vila Real.

While serving as a conscript officer during compulsory military service (1973–1975), he participated in the military movement of 25 April 1974 and served as adviser to the National Salvation Junta (1974).

Between 1974 and 1981 he was a member of the Socialist Left Movement (MES).

Between 1995 and 2001 he served as Secretary of State for European Affairs, as part of the 13th and 14th Constitutional Governments led by António Guterres, with Jaime Gama as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In that capacity: 

- he was Portugal’s chief negotiator for the Treaty of Amsterdam (1995–1997); 

- he chaired the Committee of Ministers of the Schengen Agreement (1997); 

- he was responsible for coordinating Portugal’s position in the negotiations of the European Union’s multiannual financial framework for 2000–2006 (“Agenda 2000”) (1997–1999); 

- he was Portugal’s chief negotiator for the Treaty of Nice (2000); 

- he chaired the negotiating group of the Intergovernmental Conference for the revision of the Treaty on European Union (2000); 

- he chaired the Council of Ministers for the EU Internal Market (2000); 

- he was responsible for preparing the programme and coordinating the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (2000). 

Between 1995 and 2001 he headed Portuguese governmental delegations to 38 countries and to international organisations, namely to ministerial meetings of 

- the European Internal Market;

- the Schengen Agreement;

- the Western European Union (WEU);

- the EU-European Economic Area;

- the Council of Europe;

- the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE);

- the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); 

- the World Trade Organization (WTO) (Singapore, Geneva and Seattle meetings); 

- the Mediterranean Forum; 

- the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership;

- the 5+5 Dialogue;

- the EU-Mercosur dialogue; 

- the EU-Rio Group;

- the EU-San José Group;

- the EU-Andean Community;

- the EU-Mexico; 

- the EU-Gulf countries;

- the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe;

- the implementation structures of the Dayton/Paris Agreements.

 

During the period in which he served in government he headed Portuguese governmental delegations to 38 countries. He also led European Union missions to Iran and Turkey.

Between 2001 and 2024 he was a member of the Socialist Party (PS).

From 2014 he joined the Socialist Party policy unit which prepared the programme for the 2015 legislative elections.

Since 2025 he has served, as an independent, on the Strategic Council of the Socialist Party.

He publicly supported the presidential candidacies of Salgado Zenha (1986), Jorge Sampaio (1996), Sampaio da Nóvoa (2016) and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2021), and served on the honorary committees of the presidential candidacies of Mário Soares (2006) and António José Seguro (2026).

Past Activity in the Business Sector 

In the business sector, he served as: 

- independent member of the Board of Directors of Jerónimo Martins SA (2013–2025); 

 

- member of the Strategic Advisory Council of Mota-Engil Engenharia e Construção, SA (2013–2021); 

 

- member of the Supervisory Board of Beleggingsmaatschappij Tand B.V. (2013–2014); 

 

- member of the Supervisory Board of Warta – Retail and Services Investments BV (2013–2016); 

 

- member of the Board of Directors of Mota-Engil Africa Global Technical Services BV (2014–2016); 

 

- member of the Board of Directors of Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção África SA (2016–2021); 

 

- member of the Board of Directors of EDP Renováveis SA (2016–2021); 

 

- President of the Supervisory Board of Tabaqueira EIT – Philip Morris International SA (2018–2020). 

Past Advisory and Consultancy Roles 

As a consultant, he served as: 

- member and later President of the General Council of UTAD – University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (2009–2012); 

- member of the jury of the French literary prize “Prix des Ambassadeurs – Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco” (Paris, 2009–2013); 

- member of the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra (2010–2018); 

- member of the General Council of the Guimarães City Foundation (2011–2013); 

- member of the commission that prepared the National Strategic Defence Concept for the decade 2013–2022 (2012); 

- member of the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Nova University of Lisbon (2013–2018); 

- consultant to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2013–2021); 

- member of the jury of the University of Coimbra Prize (2015); 

- member of the Scientific Council of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation Conferences (2016); 

- curator of the NewsMuseum (2016); 

- member of the Council of the Portuguese Honorary Orders, at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2016–2026); 

- consultant to the AEP Foundation (2016–2018); 

- member of the Independent General Council of RTP – Rádio e Televisão de Portugal SA (2018–2021); 

- international consultant to the Bertelsmann Foundation (2019–2020); 

- member of the Advisory Council for Portugal’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai (2019–2020); 

- commissioner of the exhibition “Portugal, Europe and the World”, organised by the Portuguese Parliament (2021); 

- member of the commission that prepared the National Strategic Defence Concept for the decade 2023–2032 (2022–2023). 

Teaching Activity

He served as a visiting lecturer at: 

- Autonomous University of Lisbon (2014–2018); 

- Military University Institute (2015–2018); 

- European University (2015–2018). 

At the Autonomous University of Lisbon he directed courses preparing candidates for the diplomatic career (2015 and 2017).


Lectures and Conferences

He delivered more than one hundred lectures and conferences in 29 countries on European and international affairs (1975–2025), including presentations at 23 Portuguese universities.


Activity in the Media

He has been a columnist for: 

- Diário Económico (2013–2015);

- Jornal de Notícias (2015–2021); 

- Evasões magazine (2013–2018);

- Epicur magazine (2015–2018);

- Jornal de Negócios (2015–2021);

- the digital newspaper Acção Socialista (2015);

- Jornal Económico (2018–2021);

- the digital newspaper A Mensagem de Lisboa (2021–2023).

In his youth he collaborated with: 

- the newspaper “A Voz de Trás-os-Montes” (1967–1972); 

 

- the sports section of Jornal de Notícias (1967–1968); 

 

- Rádio Clube Português (Porto) (1967–1968); 

 

- Emissores do Norte Reunidos (1968); 

 

- Rádio Universidade (1968). 

 

During military service he directed the newspaper “O Intendente” at the Practical School of Military Administration (1973–1974).

He served as a resident commentator on international affairs on the television programmes: 

- "Olhar o Mundo", RTP (2014–2018); 

 

- "Observare", TVI 24 (2020–2021); 

 

- CNN Portugal (2021–2024).

Current Business Activity

He is: 

- independent member of the Board of Directors of Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção SA (since 2018); 

 

- president of the Advisory Board of Kearney Portugal (since 2018); 

 

- president of the Héron Castilho Forum (since 2018); 

 

- president of the Supervisory Board of Tabaqueira II SA – Philip Morris International (since 2020); 

 

- member of the Advisory Council of Academia CESO – Development Consultants (since 2025). 

Activity in the Field of Gastronomy

He is the author of the restaurant blog “Ponto Come” (archive since 2008). 

He served as a gastronomic critic for the magazines Sábado (2010), Evasões (2015–2018) and Epicur (2015–2018). 

He has been a member (since 2014) and is currently Vice-President of the Board of the Portuguese Academy of Gastronomy. 

He has been a member (since 2009) of the Académie des Psychologues du Goût, France, and of several Portuguese and foreign gastronomic confraternities (Brazil and France). 

He served as a member of the restaurant jury of the magazine Veja in Brazil and of the Portuguese restaurant award “Lisboa à Prova”. 

In 2012, in a public ceremony in Lisbon, he received the annual “Prove Portugal” award, granted by Turismo de Portugal, in recognition of his contribution to the international promotion of Portuguese gastronomy. 

He has been a member of the Higher Council of AGAVI – Association for the Promotion of Gastronomy, Wines, Regional Products and Biodiversity since 2010. 

He served as consultant to the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments of Portugal (AHRESP) (2014–2015) for the identification, classification and promotion of Portuguese cuisine restaurants abroad. 

He was a member of the working group created by the Council of Ministers (1 April 2014) for the promotion of Portuguese gastronomy (2014–2015). 

He served as President of the General Assembly of the European Community of Gastronomic Culture (2018–2020). 


Other Current Activities

He has been member of the Editorial Board of the digital journal of international relations Janus.net (since 2010).

He has been President of the Board (since 2019) of the Clube de Lisboa – Global Challenges, of which he was founder and director (since 2016). 

He has chaired the Lisbon Conferences since 2019. 

He is a member of the core group of GRES – Strategic Reflection Group on Security (since 2016). 

He is a founding member of the Centre for Security and Defence Studies and Research of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (CEISDTAD) (since 2013). 

He is a founding member of Forum Demos (since 2019). 

He is a founding member of the Circle for the Study of Centralism (since 2022). 

He has been an associate researcher at Observare – Observatory of External Relations of the Autonomous University of Lisbon since 2020. 

He is a member of the Cultural Council of the Eça de Queiroz Foundation (since 2021). 

He is a member of the Editorial Board of A Mensagem de Lisboa (since 2021). 

He has served as President of the Jury of the Mário Quartin Graça Scientific Prize, awarded by the Casa da América Latina (since 2023). 

He has served as President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Diabetes Association (since 2025). 

He has been a member of the Jury of the Ernesto Roma Journalism Prize since 2026. 

He has been a member of the Symi Symposium, Athens (since 1999). 

He has been a member of the Crabtree Society, London (since 1991), of which he served as President in 2011. 

He is the author of the general blog “Duas ou Três Coisas” (published daily since 2 February 2009), the restaurant blog “Ponto Come” (archive since 2008), and the informational blog “… ou Quatro Coisas” (archive since 2003). 

He is a commentator on international affairs in the podcast “A Arte da Guerra” on the digital platform of Jornal Económico (since 2021). 

He hosts the weekly podcast “Olhe que não, olhe que não”, a dialogue with Jaime Nogueira Pinto, on the 24 Horas platform (since 2025). 

Decorations and Other Distinctions

National Decorations 

• Officer of the Order of Prince Henry (26 June 1981), awarded by President Ramalho Eanes; 
• Knight of the Military Order of Christ (7 February 1985), awarded by President Ramalho Eanes; 
• Grand Officer of the Order of Merit (27 April 1993), awarded by President Mário Soares; 
• Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ (9 June 2004), awarded by President Jorge Sampaio. 

Foreign Decorations 

• Officer of the Order of St. Olav, Norway (1980); 
• Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, United Kingdom (1993); 
• Commander with Star of the Order of Merit, Poland (22 September 1997); 
• Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit, France (29 November 1999); 
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Star, Romania (2000); 
• Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, Greece (17 March 2000); 
• Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit, Spain (25 September 2000); 
• Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II, Belgium (9 October 2000); 
• Grand Officer of the Order of Aeronautical Merit, Brazil (23 October 2007); 
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Military Public Prosecutor’s Office, Brazil (6 November 2008); 
• Grand Cross of the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil (4 December 2008). 

Other Distinctions 

• Gold Medal of the Municipality of Vila Real (20 July 2004); 
• Honorary Citizen of Brasília (2008); 
• Gold Medal of the Municipality of Elvas (21 April 2013); 
• Honorary Citizen of Viana do Castelo (20 January 2017); 
• Honorary Citizen of the City of Elvas (26 January 2024); 
• Centenary Medal of the City of Vila Real (20 July 2025). 

(Reviewed March 2026)