Meet Ambassador Eduardo Paes Saboia, Brazil's Leading Diplomat in Vienna
Ambassador Eduardo Paes Saboia is Brazil's ambassador to Austria and Brazil's permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna (UNOV). An experienced diplomat and expert in international and multilateral relations, he enriches the diplomatic community in Vienna.
Ambassador Saboia, who holds a law degree from the University of Brasília and speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French, brings extensive diplomatic experience to Vienna. / Picture: © Österreichische Präsidentschaftskanzlei / Ronja Klima und Peter Lechner/HBF
With the presentation of his credentials to the United Nations in Vienna (UNOV), Ambassador Eduardo Paes Saboia officially assumed his new dual role as Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN Organizations and Ambassador to Austria. The appointment of the experienced diplomat, confirmed by a clear majority in the Brazilian Senate in May 2025 (Senado Notícias), marks another significant milestone in a career spanning over three decades, marked by global negotiations and challenging diplomatic challenges.
The University of Brasília law graduate comes from the heart of Brazilian foreign policy, where he most recently served as Secretary for Asia and the Pacific and as BRICS Sherpa. In this key position, he played a key role in shaping Brazil's agenda within the emerging economic bloc. Saboia's broad experience, ranging from his post as ambassador to the embassy in Tokyo (2018-2022) to advisory roles at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, D.C., qualifies him for the multifaceted tasks at the multilateral center in Vienna.
However, his diplomatic career has not always been straightforward, as the brazilian media outlet "Veja" reports. A particularly sensational incident occurred in 2013 when Saboia, then Minister-Counsellor in La Paz, organized the escape of Bolivian Senator Róger Pinto Molina from the Brazilian embassy to Brazil. This action, which earned him the enmity of parts of the Bolivian government, led to a serious internal political crisis that nearly ended his career, but also reminded people of him as a man of principle. Despite the controversy, the Lula administration recently demonstrated its confidence in his abilities by sending him to Vienna.
In his new role, Saboia stated his goal is to deepen bilateral relations between Brazil and Austria, which celebrated their 200th anniversary in 2025, in the areas of trade, economy, and technology. His expertise in financial diplomacy, the Asia-Pacific region, and multilateral forums such as BRICS gives him a unique profile to represent Brazilian interests in the Danube metropolis.
More information about Mr. Eduardo Paes Saboia:
| Professional Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Period | Position | Location |
| 2022 – 2025 | Secretary for Asia and Pacific and BRICS Sherpa | Brasilia |
| 2018 – 2022 | Ambassador to Japan | Tokyo |
| 2017 – 2018 | Chief of Staff of the Foreign Minister | Brasilia |
| 2015 – 2017 | Diplomatic Advisor at the Senate Foreign Relations and Defense Committee | Brasilia |
| 2013 – 2015 | Advisor to the Director of the Department of Finance and Trade in Service | Brasilia |
| 2011 – 2013 | Deputy Chief of Mission, Brazilian Embassy | La Paz |
| 2010 – 2011 | Advisor to the IMF Executive Director for Brazil | Washington DC |
| 2007 – 2010 | Senior Advisor to the World Bank Executive Director for Brazil | Washington DC |
| 2003 – 2007 | Advisor to the Foreign Minister | Brasilia |
| 2001 – 2003 | Deputy Head of the Mercosul Division | Brasilia |
| 1997 – 2001 | Brazilian Mission to Mercosul | Montevideo |
| 1994 – 1997 | Brazilian Mission to the United Nations | New York |
| 1991 – 1994 | Advisor, Mercosul Division | Brasilia |
| Education and Languages | ||
| Education | Law degree from the University of Brasilia | |
| Languages | Portuguese, Spanish, English and French | |
UNIS United Nations Information Service