João Vale de Almeida

João Vale de Almeida
European Union Ambassador to the United Nations
In office 16 October 2015 – 2019
President	Jean-Claude Juncker, Donald Tusk
Preceded by	Thomas Mayr-Harting
European Union Ambassador to the United States
In office 10 August 2010 – July 2014
President	José Manuel Barroso
Personal details
Born	29 January 1957 Lisbon, Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Alma mater	University of Lisbon
Profession	Journalist, European Official
Website	www.eu-un.europa.eu

João Vale de Almeida (born 29 January 1957, Lisbon) is the current European Union (EU) ambassador to the United Nations (UN). He formally assumed the role of Head of the EU Delegation from 16 October 2015^[1] and presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 3 November 2015.

Vale de Almeida previously served as the first EU Ambassador to the United States of America, from 2010 to 2014. In Washington, he actively engaged in strengthening EU/U.S. relations and was critical to the launching of negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).^[2]

Early life

Vale de Almeida studied history at the University of Lisbon and studied journalism and management in France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. After working as a journalist for seven years he joined the European Commission in 1982 at the European Commission delegation in Lisbon.^[1]

During his time in the Commission he worked under Presidents Jacques Delors, Jacques Santer and Romano Prodi. Under Santer, in 1995, he became deputy chief spokesman for the Commission. In 1997 he was promoted to Director at the Directorate-General (DG) for Information, Communication, Culture and Audiovisual.^[1][2]

When President Prodi took office in 1999, Vale de Almeida was a member of his transition team before being appointed as Director at the DG for Education and Culture.^[1][2]

Under President Barroso

In 2004 he joined President José Manuel Barroso's new team as head of the transition team, then Chief of Staff. He joined President Barroso in European Council Meetings and on overseas visits and acted as his personal representative (sherpa) for G8 and G20 summits as well as negotiations on the Treaty of Lisbon.^[1][2]

External Relations of European Union

In November 2009 he was made the Director General of the external relations department (DG RELEX) of the Commission before appointed EU ambassador to the US in February 2010.^[1][2] He remained Director General of RELEX until July 2010. He assumed his post in Washington formally on 10 August 2011 and was the first appointed after the Treaty of Lisbon increased the delegation's powers to speak for the whole of the EU (previously, it represented only the Commission).^[3] This appointment is however disputed by some Member States.^[4]

After Washington, he returned to Brussels for a year to take up a "senior post at the European External Action Service", the High Representative of EU, Catherine Ashton, said.^[5]

Hobbies

Vale de Almeida is an S.L. Benfica fan. He used to play handball and volleyball. He now plays tennis and golf on an irregular basis.

See also

• European Union and the United Nations
• Delegation of the European Union to the United States

References

External links

• Ambassador's Biography, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations
• External relations role for João Vale de Almeida, European Voice (3 June 2009)