Manuel Montobbio, Spain's new ambassador to Finland

Eduardo González The Council of Ministers appointed Manuel Montobbio as Spain's ambassador to Finland on Tuesday, replacing Fernando Fernández-Arias. Montobbio holds a PhD in Political Science from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, a postgraduate degree in Advanced European Studies from the College of Europe (Bruges, Belgium), and a degree in Law and Economics from the University of Barcelona. A career diplomat since 1987, he served as Spain's permanent representative to the Council of Europe (August 2018–February 2023) and, previously, as Spain's ambassador to Andorra (July 2014–August 2018) and the first Spanish ambassador to Tirana (July 2006–January 2011). He has also served at the Spanish embassies in San Salvador, Jakarta, Mexico, and Guatemala. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has held, among other positions, the position of head of the Action Plan for the Promotion of the Presence of Spaniards in International Organizations, ambassador on Special Mission for the Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004, director of the Office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, deputy director general of the Planning and Evaluation Office of the Secretariat of State for Cooperation, and advisory member of the Analysis and Forecasting Office. Since March 2023, he has served as Spain's deputy permanent delegate to the OECD. In parallel, he has developed academic and literary work, which has led him to become the author of several books and numerous publications on peace processes, international and intercultural relations, global governance, political transitions, and comparative politics.

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