H.E. Mr. Thomas Antoine

Born in Louvain (Belgium) on the 7 November 1955, in the midst of a large family. His father,  Professor Raymond Antoine, was the Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy and a renowned expert to the  FAO in the field of reforestation. Thomas Antoine grew in a scientific and academic environment.

He married Pascale de Grasse des Princes d’Antibes in 1987 ; they have seven children.

Thomas Antoine studied Philosophy and Litterature at the Catholic University of Louvain, focusing on Phenomenology and Personalism. He also got a special Licence of Thomistic studies and the Agregation.

He started his career in 1980 as a teacher of religion and philosophy and, in 1984, he passed the entrance Diplomatic  examination.

His diplomatic career brought him to the following postings :

• Tehran from 1986 to 1989, as First Secretary.
• Lisbon from 1989 to 1991, as Consul.
• Brussels from 1991 to 1994, as communication adviser in the Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Washington from 1994 to 1997, as Political Counsellor
• Geneva from 1997 to 2002, as First Counsellor to the Permanent Representation to the UN and the WTO
• Istanbul from 2002 to 2005, as Consul-general
• Brussels from 2005 to 2008, as Director for the bilateral relations with South-East Europe
• Tunis from 2008 to 2011, as Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
• Buenos Aires from 2011 to 2013, as Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay
• Luxembourg from 2013 to 2017, as Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
• Benelux Union from 2017 to 2019, as Secretary-general
• Inspector of Diplomatic and Consular Postings, from 2020 to 2022.

Ambassador Antoine retired in December 2022. He now reads and gives conferences on his favourite topics, with a philosophical approach.

Those topics cover geostrategy, energy and climate issues, environment and development.