Lidia Arthur Brito (born 13 March 1961) is a Mozambiquan forestry expert and engineer. She was the first Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Mozambique. Arthur Brito is an international civil servant since 2009 and was appointed

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences in November 2023.

Bibliography

Lidia Arthur Brito is a Mozambiquan forestry expert and engineer and university lecturer, researcher and consultant for

Eduardo Mondlane University The Eduardo Mondlane University ( pt, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane; UEM) is the oldest and largest university in Mozambique. The UEM is located in Maputo and has about 40,000 students enrolled. History The institution was set up as a center for ...

. Born in Cabo Delgado,

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

, Dr Brito has over three decades of professional experience in Science Policy, STI development plans, monitoring and assessment of STI policies and instruments,

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

, traditional energy (Biomass and Charcoal), Higher Education management, Technical-Vocational Education, ICT for Development, as a university

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

, researcher, consultant, and senior management at national, regional, and international institutions blending academic and practical experience to advance sustainable development. Brito holds an undergraduate degree in Forest Engineering by Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique) and received M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Forest Sciences from

Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...

(USA). She served as the first Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Mozambique (2000–2005) and was Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Eduardo Mondlane University (1998–2000). Brito has served as Advisor of the Mayor of Maputo for Strategic Planning and External Relations in the capital of

Maputo Maputo (), formerly named Lourenço Marques until 1976, is the Capital city, capital, and largest city of Mozambique. Located near the southern end of the country, it is within of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. The city has a popul ...

(2005–2008) . Internationally, she is a recognized academic promoting sustainable development, and community–based management in Africa in general. Brito is the director of science policy and capacity building at UNESCO and a co-chairman of the conference, titled ''Planet Under Pressure''. She is also an active participant and speaker in many international summits and conferences.

UNESCO career

Joining

in November 2009, she became the

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

for Science Policy and Sustainable Development at the Natural Science Sector in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, then she was designated as the UNESCO Regional Director for Sciences in the

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

region (UNESCO Montevideo Office) in 2014. Over the period of 2018 to 2021, she helmed the organizing committee for the Open Science Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean (CILAC), a crucial regional platform that facilitates discussions and interactions aimed at fostering sustainable policies across the fields of science, technology, and innovation. Brito assumed office as UNESCO Regional Director for

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...

based in

Harare Harare (; formerly Salisbury ) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of 940 km2 (371 mi2) and a population of 2.12 million in the 2012 census and an estimated 3.12 million in its metropolitan ...

in 2022. Lidia Arthur Brito was appointed

Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences in November 2023.

References

Living people Mozambican engineers Mozambican ecologists Government ministers of Mozambique Women government ministers of Mozambique Colorado State University alumni 21st-century Mozambican women politicians 21st-century Mozambican politicians 1961 births {{Mozambique-bio-stub