Minister Plenipotentiary Giampaolo Cantini, Director General of Italian Development Cooperation, was born in Borgo San Lorenzo (Florence), 21 June 1957. After earning a degree in Political Science from the University of Florence, he joined the diplomatic service, beginning his career at the General Directorate for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

He specialized in International Relations at the University of Florence and his posts included Commercial Secretary at the Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa as well as First Counselor at the Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

From 1994 to 1996 he was assigned to the General Secretariat of the President of the Italian Republic and following that he was promoted to First Counselor at the Italian Embassy in Washington D.C. Later he was Italian Ambassador in Algeria and Consul General in Jerusalem.

On 16th January 2013 he was appointed Head of the General Directorate for Development Cooperation.