António Guterres took office as UN High Commissioner for Refugees on June 15, 2005, becoming the refugee agency’s 10th High Commissioner. Before joining UNHCR Mr. Guterres spent more than 20 years in government and public life, serving as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1996 to 2002.

 

Detailed biography:

During his time as Prime Minister António Guterres was deeply involved in the international effort to resolve the crisis in East Timor, and, during the Portuguese presidency of the European Council in the first semester of 2000, led the adoption of the so-called Lisbon Agenda and co-chaired the first EU-Africa summit.

 

From 1991 to 2002 António Guterres was part of the Council of State of Portugal. He was also a member of the Portuguese Parliament and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committees for Territorial Administration, Municipalities and Environment and for Economy and Finance (from 1976 to 1983 and from 1985 to 1995).

 

In the early 1980’s, António Guterres was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as chairman of the Committee on Demography, Migration and Refugees. Prior to that, between 1976 and 1979 he served as a member of the European Integration Committee which negotiated Portugal’s entry into the European Union.

 

António Guterres was President of the Portuguese Socialist Party from 1992 to 2001 and has been active in Socialist International. He acted as Socialist International’s vice-president from 1992, when he also served Co-Chairman of the African Committee, together with President Diouf of Senegal, and later, of the Development Committee, becoming president of the organization in 1999. He relinquished the post in June 2005 upon his election by the UN General Assembly as High Commissioner for Refugees.

 

He graduated in 1971 with a degree in engineering from the Instituto Superior Técnico, and taught physics and telecommunications at his alma mater from 1972 to 1975. Since 2003 António Guterres has been the Invited Professor of the Instituto Superior Técnico, in charge of the Chairs of Sustainable Development and Innovation.

 

In 1991, he helped found the Portuguese Refugee Council.

 

To know more on António Guterres’ work:

Please go to http://www.unhcr.org/

 

António Guterres’ word:

“I am a strong believer in communication and the public sphere. Blogging on issues like the ones we are exploring here is a way to reinforce critical discussion and the transformative power of civil society. I look forward to a constructive exchange of ideas.”