José Manuel Albares Bueno (1972) was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain in July 2021.
He previously served as Ambassador of Spain to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco and as Secretary-General for International Affairs, European Union, G20 and Global Security in the Office of the President of the Government, acting as the sherpa for the President of the Government both in the European Union and in the G20. He was elected deputy for Madrid in the Congress of Deputies in the fifteenth term of Parliament.
As a career diplomat, from 2000 onward he held a number of senior positions at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, as well as in Colombia and France and in Spain’s Permanent Mission to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). During his time at the OECD he was elected Vice-Chair of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC).
The Minister holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Deusto University, with a specialization in legal and economic affairs, and a Diploma in Business Studies; a Diploma in National Defence from the Centre for National Defence Studies (CESEDEN); and a Diploma in Cultural Management Abroad from Carlos III University in collaboration with Spain’s Diplomatic School.
He has been awarded the Commander by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star of Sweden; the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog of the Kingdom of Denmark; the Grand Cross of the Order of San Carlos of the Republic of Colombia; the Grand Cross of the Order of Boyacá of the Republic of Colombia; the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit for Distinguished Services in Peru; the Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Medal of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Ukraine; Grand Officer of the National Order of the Star of Romania and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of the Italian Republic . He has also received the Foreign Policy Association Medal.
Minister Albares has four children.