H.E. Manuela Franco

Manuela Franco currently serves as an ambassador of Portugal to the Czech Republic since May 2015. She graduated from the University of Lisbon School of Law in 1978 and she is a doctoral candidate at the Departament of Political Studies at New University of Lisbon. Before she became an ambassador to the Czech Republic, Manuela Franco was Director of Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Portugal (2011-2015), Guest Professor of Seminar on African Studies  at the New University of Lisbon (2008-2013) and she also served as Diplomat in residence (Fellow Abade Correia da Serra) at the Portuguese Institute for International Relations (2005-2011). Before, she held a number of diplomatic posts: Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (2004), Head of the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Culture (1988-1990), Head of the Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (1985-1987), Diplomatic Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon (from 1981) and Human Rights Desk Officer at the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations in New York (1979-1985). Her non-diplomatic roles include being an Editor of the quarterly “International Politics” in Lisbon (1990-1991), Senior Partner and Manager of the Companhia do Triângulo (1991-1999), and Associate Researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences at Lisbon University (1999).