Ovídio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno
Encyclopedia
Ovídio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno (born 5 November 1954) is a São Toméan
diplomat, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs on two occasions.
He became the Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe to the Republic of China
(Taiwan
) in December 1999, serving in that position until he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on 30 March 2004. He remained Foreign Minister until 16 January 2006, when he resigned due to controversy about the spending of aid money (almost half a million U.S. dollars
) from Morocco
. Pequeno denied taking any of the money for himself and said that it had been given directly to the president, Fradique de Menezes
, and that he had accordingly spent it on the president's behalf. Prime Minister Maria do Carmo Silveira
had demanded his resignation, and Pequeno was accused of disloyalty to the government by spending the money in secret and without the government's authorization. Menezes argued in Pequeno's defense that the spending was legitimate.
Following his resignation, he was appointed as Permanent Representative
to the United Nations
and Ambassador to the United States
, Canada
and Brazil
. He presented his credentials as Ambassador to the US on 10 March 2006, as Permanent Representative to the UN on 27 April 2006, and became Ambassador to Canada on 6 June 2006.
In the government appointed on November 20, 2007, Barbosa Pequeno was again named Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos
.
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
diplomat, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs on two occasions.
He became the Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) in December 1999, serving in that position until he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on 30 March 2004. He remained Foreign Minister until 16 January 2006, when he resigned due to controversy about the spending of aid money (almost half a million U.S. dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Pequeno denied taking any of the money for himself and said that it had been given directly to the president, Fradique de Menezes
Fradique de Menezes
Fradique Bandeira Melo de Menezes was the President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2003 to 2011.-Early life:Menezes was born on the then Portuguese colony of São Tomé in 1942, the son of a Portuguese man and a local woman. He attended high school in Portugal...
, and that he had accordingly spent it on the president's behalf. Prime Minister Maria do Carmo Silveira
Maria do Carmo Silveira
Maria do Carmo Trovoada Pires de Carvalho Silveira is a former Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe.-Prime minister:She served as Prime Minister and Finance Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from 8 June 2005 to 21 April 2006....
had demanded his resignation, and Pequeno was accused of disloyalty to the government by spending the money in secret and without the government's authorization. Menezes argued in Pequeno's defense that the spending was legitimate.
Following his resignation, he was appointed as Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and Ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. He presented his credentials as Ambassador to the US on 10 March 2006, as Permanent Representative to the UN on 27 April 2006, and became Ambassador to Canada on 6 June 2006.
In the government appointed on November 20, 2007, Barbosa Pequeno was again named Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos
Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos
Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos is a São Toméan diplomat. He was Foreign Minister from April 2006, when the government of Prime Minister Tomé Vera Cruz took office, until he was replaced by Ovídio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno on November 20, 2007.- References :...
.