Busuttil was born in Floriana on 3 September 1936. His academic qualifications include a Ph.D. from the Gregorian University in Rome, a Ph.D. in social science from Aquinas University in Rome, and another Ph.D. in economics from the University of Manchester.
Bnsuttil has specialized in Mediterranean affairs, educational planning and administration, economic development and environment, habitat, socioeconomic rights, industrial relations and business, and industrial management. He is fluent in English, French, Italian, Maltese, and Latin, has a working knowledge of Spanish, and a familiarity with Arabic and Greek.
Busuttil was director of the Malta Development Corporation (1968-72), professor and head of department of economics (1964-75) and dean of the faculty of arts (1966-72) at the RUM, UN advisor on socio-economic development to the prime minister of Bahamas (1975-77) and, some years later, to the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. He was a UNESCO advisor to the prime minister of Malta (1986- 87), director of the Division of Human Settlements and Socio-Cultural Environments at UNESCO (1977-86), co-ordinator for the UN Mediterranean Action Plan (199 1-93), and chairman, National Commission for UNESCO.
Busuttil was director general of the Foundation for International Studies of the UM and advisor to the ministry of foreign affairs. He was also president of the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Marine Contamination Hazards and deputy chairman of the International Environment Institute and the International Institute. He is president of the Comite Pour Les Etudes Mediterranennes and vice-president of the International Centre for Advanced Agronomic Studies of the Mediterranean.
Busuttil is an editorial member of World Development, Social Economics, and Marine and Mediterranean Studies; chairman of the editorial board of the Mediterranean Review of Social Sciences, and co-editor of the Mediterranean Journal on Human Rights. In 1996 Busuttil was conferred the honour of Commendador of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator and of Gran Ufficiale of the Republic of Italy. In 1996 he was appointed officer of the National Order of Merit (UOM).
Busuttil is vice-president of the Mediterranean Centre for Human Rights (Montpellier, France) and was for several years chairman of the Malta Council for Economic Development and of the Valletta Rehabilitation Project. He serves on the executive board of the University of the Mediterranean (UNIMED), of the Independent World Commission of the Oceans (treasurer) of INNOVA, ISPROM, and other regional and international organizations. He was also president of the International Centre for Higher Mediterranean Agronomic Studies - the intergovernmental agency (1999-2003). Busuttil was Malta’s ambassador to France and Portugal.
Busuttil is the author of several publications. He has for many years contributed the Malta article in the Encyclopaedia Britannica and written chapters to many anthologies and books on the Mediterranean.
Busuttil was married to Mercedes Zarb and has two sons.