Pedro Basto

Programme Manager, Research and Innovation Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)

Pedro Basto joined the GICHD in May 2023 and holds the position of Programme Manager, Research and Innovation. In this role, he provides direction to the Research and Innovation Programme, and the rest of the GICHD, focusing on leading and coordinating research and innovation related initiatives, and on methods that improve the delivery of Explosive Ordnance Risk Reduction (EORR) operations. Prior to joining the GICHD, Pedro Basto worked in the Portuguese Armed Forces for 22 years, as Army Military Engineer, EOD and C-IED expert and in the European Defence Agency, as Project Manager for Capability Development and Research projects. His work has taken him to number of countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Pedro Basto has a Master’s degree in Military Engineering from the Portuguese Army Military Academy (chartered Civil Engineer) and he is currently doing a PhD on Blast Resistance dissipative systems in co-supervision between NOVA University from Lisbon and the Kingdom of Belgium Royal Military Academy.