Ambassador Pedro Comissário Afonso is the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mozambique to the United Nations since December 2020.
Ambassador Comissário was previously Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (February- September 2020).
He joined the Foreign Service in 1981, having served the country in different capacities, such as:
- Director of the Central Bureau for the Prevention and Combat against Drugs (2019-2020);
- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva (2012-2018);
- Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations Office in Vienna, to UNIDO and to International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria (2012-2018);
- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation (2012-2018); Ambassador of Mozambique to the Nordic Countries based in Stockholm (Sweden), with a multiple accreditation to Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland (2006-2012);
- Director, Legal and Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2001-2006); Ambassador of Mozambique to Portugal (1996-2001);
- Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations, New York (1989-1996);
- Director, International Organizations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maputo (1985-1989); and
- Director, Africa and Middle East, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maputo (1983-1985);
- Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1981-1983).
Ambassador Comissário also served as Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2014-2015); member of the International Law Commission (2002-2016); Representative of Mozambique to the Security Council and to the UN Secretary General for the Implementation of the Rome General Peace Agreement and for the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (1992-1994); and Chairman of the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (1991-1992).
Ambassador Comissário holds a Law Degree, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo (1981), Master’s Degree (LL.M.) in International Law and Constitutional Law, Columbia University School of Law, New York (1990-1991) and Post graduate studies in International Law and International Relations, Columbia University, New York (1992-1994).
He is proficient in Ci-sena (mother tongue), Portuguese, English and French.