Biography

Before joining the EUI as Secretary General, H.E. Armando Barucco was the Italian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. From March 2015 to February 2021, he served as Director of the Unit for Analysis and Programming, Statistics, and Historical-Diplomatic Documentation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In this role, he was also responsible for organizing five editions of the Rome Med Dialogues (2016–2020).

He was Ambassador of Italy to Sudan from November 2011 to February 2015, playing a key role in resolving several human rights cases. Beginning in 2013, he also took charge of the first EU cooperation programme managed by Italy for the rehabilitation of the health system in Eastern Sudan.

From 2007 to 2011, he served as “Antici” Counselor at the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, responsible, among other things, for the general coordination of the Representation and the preparation of EU Summits and Council of Ministers meetings. He was also responsible for institutional matters, including the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Other previous assignments include: Consul General of Italy in Mumbai, India (2002–03); Permanent Representation of Italy to the European Union (2000–02); Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as Deputy Head of Mission (1996–2000); Directorate General for the European Union (three terms: 1991–92; 1993–96; 2003–06). His first diplomatic assignment was in Mogadishu (Somalia), as Deputy Head of the Italian Diplomatic Delegation during the civil war and the operations of the United Task Force (UNITAF) and the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) (1992–93).

Armando Barucco is a Fellow of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University (academic year 2006/7). He holds a Master’s Degree in Law (Philosophy of the Law – University of Rome “La Sapienza”) and a Diploma in Advanced European Legal Studies (College of Europe – Bruges, 1989–1990). He also conducted in-depth research and studies at the Institute for the Study of Religions and Cultures at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (2003–2006).