Francisco Alberto Lima Mena is a Salvadoran lawyer and notary public. He has more than 25 years of experience in the area of International Law, Foreign Trade and International Development and has a Master’s Degree in International Law. 

He was Deputy Director of Trade Policy and Deputy Special Ambassador for International Trade Negotiations of the Trade Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Economy. In 2003, he was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Due to the different positions he has held, he has been responsible for issues related to the Central American Economic Integration process, within the framework of the Central American Economic Integration Secretariat (SIECA).    

Furthermore, in his functions as Representative of El Salvador to the WTO and WIPO in Geneva, Switzerland, he has been responsible for conducting the negotiations in this multilateral forum comprised of 164 members. Mr. Lima Mena successfully led the negotiation process to normalise trade relations with China, as well as the entry of Russia, both within the framework of the WTO. 

Before assuming his duties as Secretary General, Mr. Lima Mena served as Senior Advisor in the Office of Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). 

In April 2021, he was elected by consensus of the Council of Ministers of Economic Integration, to serve as Secretary General of the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) for the period 2021- 2025. 

Session

• Ministers Round Table: Building Maritime Transport Resilience in an Uncertain World 

          Wednesday 21 May, 10:00- 11:30