#statefragility

Luís Tomé is Chair and Full Professor at the Department of International Relations at Autónoma University in Lisbon. He also chairs OBSERVARE – Observatory of International Relations, a research centre of Autonóma University in Lisbon. He is also Integrated Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA) and Invited Professor at the National Defence Institute (IDN). His research focuses on the geopolitics and security studies of the Euro-Atlantic, Eurasia, and Asia-Pacific regions.

Kenyeh Barlay is Chair of the g7+ and Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone. Previously, Kenyeh Barlay was a member of the Executive Board of the African Development Bank (AfDB), where she represented the countries of The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. From 2013-2016, she coordinated the World Bank and JICA-funded West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) for the Mano River Union sub-region. Throughout her career, she has carried out several assignments in the areas of microfinance, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and women’s economic empowerment.

Is Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). Previously, Jorge Moreira da Silva served as Director of the Development Cooperation Directorate of the OECD and Visiting Full Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Oporto University and Adjunct Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris. Founder and former Chairman of the Plataforma de Crescimento Sustentável, a Portuguese think-tank, from 2016 to 2023.

Francisco Seixas da Costa is Chairman of Clube de Lisboa, non-executive director of Jerónimo Martins and Mota-Engil Africa, and consultant to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He was Ambassador to the UN, OSCE, UNESCO, Brazil and France. He was Secretary of State for European Affairs and Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. He holds a degree in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Lisbon.

Is Associate Professor at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) of Lisbon University and President of the Orient Institute, a research centre of the Lisbon University. Co-author of the study “Post-pandemic challenges and international partnerships in West Africa: overcoming or deepening fragility?”, together with Andrea Valente and Claudia Favarato, organised by g7+. His research focuses on foreign policy, regional integration, and state-building of Southeast Asian states. Nuno Canas Mendes has published extensively about East Timor. 

Assistant Professor at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) of Lisbon University, and Vice-President of the Orient Institute, a research centre of the Lisbon University. Co-author of the study “Post-pandemic challenges and international partnerships in West Africa: overcoming or deepening fragility?”, together with Nuno Canas Mendes and Claudia Favarato, organised by g7+.

She is a lawyer, with experience in Portugal, United States and East Timor. She provided Legal Support to East Timor's post-independence governments and also collaborated with the g7+ Foundation, specifically in obtaining this organisation's Oberver Status next to the United Nations in 2019. She is a Member of the Board of Directors of the g7+ Lisbon Foundation, based in Portugal.

Is Executive Director of the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA) and Professor at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of NOVA University Lisbon. Ana Santos Pinto is Associate Researcher at the National Defence Institute (IDN). Between 2018 and 2019, she served as Secretary of State for National Defence. Her research focuses on foreign policy, the European Union, international security, and the geopolitics of the Middle East.

Is Minister of Defence of East-Timor. In 2020, he was nominated Chief of the Defence Staff of East Timor. He was previously Director of the National Defence Institute of East Timor.

Luís Amado is Economist and International Consultant. Minister of Defence (2005-2006) and Minister of State and Foreign Affairs (2006-2011). He served as Chairman of BANIF and Chairman of the Supervision Council of EDP. He is Invited Full Professor at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) from Lisbon University. Member of Clube de Lisboa.

Is the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support. Previously, she served as the Director of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). With large experience serving in the United Nations, Elizabeth Spehar also worked in several other international organisation, such as the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Is the Secretary-General of g7+. For over 5 years, he worked as Advisor on Aid Effectiveness to the Ministry of Finance of East Timor. Hélder da Costa also served as the Tertiary Education Manager and the Asia Programme Manager of the Asia-New Zealand Foundation. He has over 20 years of management experience in the academic and development fields in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Is Deputy Director and Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at Autónoma University in Lisbon. She is Deputy Director of OBSERVARE, research centre, and Editor of JANUS.NET, journal of international relations. Brígida Brito is Integrated Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA). Her research focuses on the connections between International Relations and Sociology concerning the African development.

Between 1975 and 1989 he was part of different governments in Mozambique, namely acting as Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism (1980-1989), leading the negotiations with the EU regarding the 3rd Lomé Convention. In 1989 he started working with the WFP – World Food Program. He lead the UN team in charge of the response to Humanitarian crisis in Angola. In 2004, he was appointed to serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, thereby becoming the most senior United Nations official in the country, in charge of humanitarian aid and development besides the political Special Representative of the Secretary-General. During his mandate, Aranda da Silva was notable for pushing forward the 2006 Darfur peace process. Currently he acts as an international consultant and is also Chair of the board of the do BTM – Banco Terra of Mozambique.

Currently serving as Climate Change Finance and Readiness Expert at the African Development Bank (AfDB). She is an economist and an international development expert with deep interests in policy practice, social research, and multi-country programs. She has deep expertise in project development, project implementation and reporting, and stakeholder management. Her vast experience cuts across private and donor supported organisations. She is experienced in leading cross-functional projects that enable economic outcomes across different countries.

Is Director of the Institute for the Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP) of Guinea-Bissau. Previously she Coordinated the Department for Biodiversity Conservation and Monitoring of IBAP. She has expertise on Biology of Populations and Ecosystems.

Is Director of the Park from Serralves Foundation and Full Professor at Coimbra University. Helena Freitas is Coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology, a research centre from Coimbra University. She was President of the League for the Protection of Nature and the first Provider for the Environment and Life Quality of Coimbra. She was also President of the Portuguese Ecology Society and Vice-President of the European Federation of Ecology. Her research focuses on the areas of natural and biological sciences, and ecology.

Is Consultant to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Professor at Autónoma University in Lisbon. He is Integrated Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA). José Félix Ribeiro joined the Department of Foresight and Planning of the Ministry of Economy, having served as Deputy Director-General, leading the Foresight and International Information areas. He has published extensively on international economy and geopolitics, foresight and development strategies.

Is Prime-Minister of East-Timor and Eminent Person of the g7+. He led the resistance in East-Timor until independence. He was captured and jailed in Indonesia from 1992-1999. After the 1999 referendum organised by the UN, that led to independence, he was elected in 2002 as the first President of East-Timor. Xanana Gusmão served as Prime Minister from 2007-2015. He was also Minister for Planning and Strategic Investment.

Is the Director for Development Co-operation of the OECD. Between 2018 and 2022, she served as the Minister of Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica. Previously, Maria del Pilar Garrido was the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Policy and Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor of the Technical Secretariat of the 2030 Agenda. She has worked for 13 years with the UNDP, the European Union, and the Diputació de Barcelona on development cooperation projects in Central and Latin America and in the Caribbean.

Is President of Camões, I. P. She has served in several positions at the OECD, being the last one Chief of the Unit Prospective, Political Reforms and Global Relations of the Development Cooperation Directorate. Privously, Ana Paula Fernandes was Specialised Advisor in the Portuguese Permanent Delegation at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. She was also Advisor to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation and Project Manager at Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr.