Carlos Branco

Major General of the Portuguese Army (reserve). He holds a Master degree on Military Sciences (Military Academy, Lisbon). Among various military qualifications, he is a graduate of the Army Staff and War College. In addition, he attended an MBA on International Management (Católica Business Scholl, Lisbon) and is finalising a PhD thesis on Conflict Resolution, at the European University Institute, Florence (Italy). Also attended the High Level Course of the CSDP, at the European Security and Defence College (Brussels).

Extensive experience in the domain of politico-military affairs and international relations gained in various international assignments. He served with the UN, in the Balkans, before Dayton, as military observer. After, he served in the EUROFOR HQ, in Florence, as Chief of the Intelligence Analysis Section. In 2001, he was assigned to the Military Division of the DPKO, UN Head Quarters (HQ), in New York, as Peacekeeping Affairs Officers for the UN missions in the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Iraq/Kuwait border). He still was Battalion, Regiment Commander and Airborne Brigade Deputy Commander and COMISAF spokesperson, in Afghanistan. In 2008, he took the position of Deputy Director of the National Defence Institute and Army Director of Doctrine before being selected for the position of Director of Cooperation & Regional Security in the International Military Staff, at the NATO HQ. In this function, he was responsible for the strategic planning of NATO military cooperation with all NATO’s partners. And later, he was Deputy Director, at the War College, in charge of the research and development portfolio. In this latter quality, he was Chief Editor of the War College Scientific publications.

He authored more than 55 articles on technical-military, management, conflict resolution, and security and defense matters published in books, periodicals, and daily news, eight of them subject to peer review; and co-edited two books on peacekeeping matters. He has regular participation in debates and conferences and also lectured in several universities and schools. He is also member of several think tanks (national and international) and civic organizations. In 2009, he was co-scientific director of a post graduated course on Media and Crisis Management, at the Instituto Superior das Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa (Lisbon). His major subjects of research and interest are peacekeeping, conflict resolution, strategic communications, NATO, United Nations and CSDP.