Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo celebrates wedding anniversary
Newswire
Kabul: Nato’s Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo celebrated his wedding anniversary this week.
In a tweet on the occasion, he said: “30 years of me and you today… I asked you to marry me after 14 days I had met you (only because you had left for a week in the meantime, or it would have been sooner). And I’ve been counting my blessings, every day, since then. Lidia (Pontecorvo).”
Stefano Pontecorvo is the former Italian Ambassador to Pakistan where he served until the 9th of February 2020. In this capacity he has followed closely Pakistan’s involvement in regional politics with a particular focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan’s role in the recent developments.
Previously, from January 2013 to October 2015 he has been the Diplomatic Advisor to the Italian Defence Minister serving under Minister Giampaolo di Paola, Minister Mario Mauro and Minister Roberta Pinotti. In this capacity, Amb. Pontecorvo has followed directly events in Afghanistan due to the large military contingent Italy has in the Country and the Italian role as Framework Nation in the region of Herat, travelling often to Herat and Kabul.
He has also served as Deputy Head of Mission in the Italian Embassy in London (2010–2012), as Deputy Director General for Sub Saharian Africa in the Italian MFA (2009-2010) and as Deputy Head of Mission in the Italian Embassy in Moscow (2007-2009).
From 2005 to 2007 Ambassador Pontecorvo had been Chief of Staff of the State Secretary for Europe, Senator Roberto Antonione and Chief of Staff of Vice Minister for Africa and Development Cooperation Le Patrizia Sentinelli. He has also held the position of Head of the Financial Division of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation (2004-2005).
In his earlier career he has held various positions in Brussels, in the then EU Council General Secretariat (1997-1999) as Head of the Balkans Desk in CFSP, then attached to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe as Head of the Table responsible for Stability and Security in the Balkans (1999-2001) and finally posted to, in the Italian Permanent Delegation to the EU where he served as RELEX Counselor and Deputy PSC Representative from 2001 to 2004.
Ambassador Pontecorvo served as political counselor at the Permanent Delegation of Italy to NATO from 1992 to 1995 and subsequently (1996-1997) as PA to the Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Boris Biancheri.
His first posting abroad was as second secretary in the Italian Embassy in Moscow (1988-1992), whereas in Rome he has served, at the beginning of his career, at the Directorate General for Personnel (1985-1986) and on the NATO Desk of the Directorate General for Polical Affairs of the Italian MFA (1986-1988).
Ambassador Pontecorvo is appointed “Commendatore” of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (OMRI). Born in 1957, Stefano Pontecorvo is married and has one daughter. He enjoys reading, music and hiking.
