Rubens Ricupero was appointed as UNCTAD's fifth Secretary-General in September 1995 and, on the recommendation of the United Nations Secretary-General, reappointed by the General Assembly for another four-year term in 1999. That term was subsequently extended for a further year starting 15 September 2003. Previously, during a long career with the Brazilian government, he was Minister of the Environment and Amazonian Affairs, before becoming Minister of Finance in 1994, where he supervised the launching of the Brazilian economic stabilization programme.

His diplomatic posts have included Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva (1987-1991), Ambassador to the United States of America (1991-1993) and Ambassador to Italy (1995). At GATT between 1989 and 1991, he served as Chairman of the GATT Council of Representatives, Chairman of the GATT Contracting Parties, Chairman of the GATT Committee on Trade and Development and Chairman and Spokesman of the GATT Informal Group of Developing Countries.

Mr. Ricupero has also headed the Brazilian delegations to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the Conference on Disarmament, both in Geneva, and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992.

He was a Professor of Theory of International Relations at the University of Brasilia from 1979 to 1995 and Professor of History of Brazilian Diplomatic Relations at the Rio Branco Institute from 1980 to 1995. He is the author of several books and essays on international relations, economic development problems and international trade and diplomatic history.

Rubens Ricupero was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1937. He received a Bachelor in Law from the University of Sao Paulo in 1959. He is married to Marisa Parolari; they have four children. Mr. Ricupero speaks Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and Italian and reads German.