Sérgio França Danese

Sérgio França Danese (born 1954) is a Brazilian writer and diplomat. In 2023, he was nominated by president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to become the Brazilian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York City.

Early years and academic history
Danese was born in São Paulo in 1954. He joined the Letters course of the Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Human Sciences (FFLCH) of the University of São Paulo (USP), where he graduated in 1976. Danese then moved to México, where he got a post-graduation in Latin Letters at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Diplomacy
Danese joined the diplomatic career in 1981, becoming student of Rio Branco Institute (IRBr). From 1985 to 1987, he had served as special advisor of the Presidency of the Republic during José Sarney administration. Between 1990 and 1992, Danese worked with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mexico. In 1993, he became advisor to Rubens Ricupero, while he had served as Ministry of Environment during the presidency of Itamar Franco. Ricupero was Danese's teacher during his studies at IRBr.

With a long diplomatic career, Danese had served as the Brazilian ambassador to Algeria, Argentina and South Africa. In 2021, he was nominated as ambassador to Peru, where he headed the diplomatic mission until 2023. After the election of Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president nominated him to represent Brazil in the United Nations. Danese replaced Ronaldo Costa Filho, nominated by former president Jair Bolsonaro.

During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, he gained international notoriety. On the verge of a conflict, Brazil presided the United Nations Security Council. The country proposed a ceasefire for humanitarian aid in Gaza and a humanitarian corridor for Palestinian civilians to Egypt. Besides Brazilian efforts, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, vetoed the resolution. The Brazilian proposal got 12 favorable votes, 2 abstentions – Russia and the United Kingdom – and the American veto, blocking a ceasefire and the arrival of humanitarian aid.