:Draft:Mário de Azevedo Constantino
{{AFC submission|d|bio|u=Eyesofnissi|ns=118|decliner=S0091|declinets=20250421170656|reason2=ilc|ts=20250421161318}}
{{AFC comment|1=Also this is written like a resume rather than an encyclopedia article. S0091 (talk) 17:06, 21 April 2025 (UTC)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mário de Azevedo Constantino
| image = Picture of Ambassador Mario.jpg
| caption = Ambassador Mário de Azevedo Constantino
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|11|29}}
| birth_place = Lobito, Angola
| nationality = Angolan
| occupation = Diplomat
| residence = Luanda, Angola
| office = Ambassador of Angola to Kenya
| term_start = 2025
| alma_mater = Kiev State University
Higher Institute of Education Sciences, Lisbon
| profession = Career Diplomat
}}
Mário de Azevedo Constantino (born 29 November 1958) is an Angolan career diplomat who has served in various high-level diplomatic posts across Europe, Africa, and the United Nations. He is currently the Ambassador of Angola to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union, and was additionally accredited as Ambassador to Kenya in 2025. His career spans over three decades in international law, treaty negotiations, and multilateral diplomacy.
Early life and education
Mario Constantino was born in Lobito, Angola. He received a master's degree in Public International Law from Kiev State University in Ukraine (1983–1989). He later attended a one-year master's programme in City Management at the Higher Institute of Education Sciences in Lisbon, Portugal (2010–2011).
He has also undertaken professional training in:
- Economic negotiations (Institute of Public Administration, Paris – 1992 and 1994),
- Diplomacy, disarmament, and international human rights treaties (Geneva, Lisbon, and New York seminars).
Diplomatic career
Constantino is a career diplomat with decades of experience in Angola’s Ministry of External Relations and foreign service. His previous roles include:
- 1989–1994: General Inspection and Multilateral Division, Ministry of External Relations
- 1995–1999: Permanent Mission of Angola to the United Nations Office in Geneva – focused on the Human Rights Council, UNCTAD, WTO, and WIPO
- 1999–2000: Head of the Department of Treaties
- 2000–2002: Director of Legal and Consular Affairs
- 2002: Minister Counsellor at the Angolan Embassy in Sweden and Nordic countries
- 2003–2007: Permanent Mission of Angola to the UN Headquarters in New York – legal issues, sanctions committees, counter-terrorism, and UN reform
- 2006–2010: Head of Treaty Division
- 2010–2011: Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the CPLP
- 2011–2014: Head of Legal Affairs Division
- 2014–2018: Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Angola in Washington, D.C.
- 2019–2020:
- Head of Multilateral Affairs Division
- Focal point of UNSAC/UNOCA
- Member of the ECOSOC Committee on Programmes and Coordination (CPC)
- Member of various inter-ministerial commissions, including the Commission on Maritime Delimitation (CIDDEMA)
Ambassadorial role
In 2020, Constantino was appointed as Angola's Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union. During this tenure, he chaired several diplomatic groups, including the Committee of Ambassadors of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ambassadors Group, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) group in Brussels.
On 5 March 2025, he was also accredited as Angola’s Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya. He presented his letters of credence to President William Ruto at State House in Nairobi.{{cite web |title=Ambassador Mário Constantino Accredited to Kenya |url=https://www.africa-press.net/angola/all-news/ambassador-mario-constantino-accredited-to-kenya |website=Africa Press |date=2025-03-05 |access-date=2025-04-21}}{{cite video |title=President Ruto receives Ambassador Designate of Angola to Kenya at State House, Nairobi |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xewsPldeu9M |website=YouTube |publisher=State House Kenya |date=2025-03-05 |access-date=2025-04-21}}
In 2020, Constantino was appointed Ambassador of Angola to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union. Between 2021 and 2024, he chaired, on a rotating basis:
- The Committee of Ambassadors of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)
- The Group of Ambassadors of the Southern Africa Region within OACPS
- The Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) Group in Brussels
Languages
Constantino is fluent in the following languages:
- Portuguese (mother tongue)
- Russian (working level)
- French (working level)
- English (working level)
- Spanish (working level)
Technical skills
He has proficiency in:
- Microsoft Word
- PowerPoint
- PageMaker
External Links
- [https://www.youtube.com/ATALw4iy4PM?si=vSpYbOFkvoYrsXLF]
- [https://www.unon.org/content/permanent-representations-unon H.E Mario de Azevedo Constantino at the United Nations Office in Nairobi]
- [https://www.oacps.org/news/h-e-mr-mario-de-azevedo-constantino-assumes-leadership OACPS: Mario Constantino Assumes Chair of Committee of Ambassadors]
- [https://x.com/ForeignOfficeKE/status/your-post-link Courtesy Visit to Kenya's Deputy Minister – ForeignOfficeKE]
- [https://www.oacps.org/news/interview-with-the-incoming-chair Interview with Ambassador Constantino – OACPS]
- [https://www.africa-press.net/angola/all-news/ambassador-mario-constantino-accredited-to-kenya Africa Press: Ambassador to Kenya]
- Wikipedia: List of Ambassadors of Angola