Honorary Professor at Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance Faculty of the Commerce University of Cape Town. Visiting Professor at Sciences Po, Paris, and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, London and 2022 Fellow at Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
Has been associated with a number of high-level boards, including the Global Commission for Economy and Climate, Global Commission for the Future of Work, Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation, Kofi Annan Foundation, and Blockchain Charity Foundation. Is a current member of the boards of Jakaya Kikwete Foundation, Hailemariam and Roman Foundation, the Graça Machel Trust, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, the Global Advisory Board of the African Leadership Institute, Waterloo University International Advisory Board, African Center for Cities Advisory Board, the Board of Directors of the World Resource Institute, Chair of the board and Advisory Council of the African Climate Foundation, Member of the Nature Markets Task Force, Member of the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on Net-O Certification by Non-State Entities, Member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy, as well as Foundation Fellow of the International Science Council, Honorary Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and Lifetime Member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences. Cândido Mendes University, Brazil, Hawassa University, Ethiopia and the Polytechnic University of Mozambique have conferred professor Lopes Honorary Doctorates.
Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Cândido Mendes University, Brazil, Hawassa University, Ethiopia and the Polytechnic University of Mozambique.
Past chair of the Lisbon University Institute (2009 to 2017). Past head of several institutions at the United Nations, including the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UN System Staff College and UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa, (2012-2016).
Has occupied prominent positions such as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Political Director for Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Was nominated as the African Union High Representative for Partnerships with Europe in 2018 and a member of the African Union Reform Team led by President Paul Kagame in 2016.