A Keynote Address by Zacarias da Costa: Highlighting the work of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)

In his keynote address to the IIEA, Zacarias Albano da Costa, Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) highlights the work of the CPLP and Ireland’s place within it. The CPLP is an international organisation and political association of Lusophone nations across four continents, where Portuguese is an official language. On 17 July 2021 Ireland was granted Associate Observer status at the XIII Conference of Heads of State and Government of the CPLP held in Luanda, Angola. Executive Secretary da Costa offers insight into how the CPLP facilitates cooperation between nations in the Lusophone world.

About the Speaker:

Zacarias da Costa, an East Timorese diplomat and politician, was elected Executive Secretary for the biennium of 2021-2023 by the XIII CPLP Conference of Heads of State and Government, held in Luanda, Angola, on July 17th, 2021. He is the first East Timorese person to hold the office. Prior to this, Mr da Costa served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.