Career
He previously served as briefly in 2002. Costa was Ambassador to Portugal from 2000 to 2002. He was appointed as to lead a coalition government in April 2002.
However, he was sacked from that post on 27 September 2002 by President Fradique de Menezes after army unrest over two controversial promotions.
On 3 December 2012, he was again appointed as by President Manuel Pinto da Costa, following the dismissal of Patrice Trovoada, who had lost his parliamentary majority.