Multilateral Political Organisations

The recognition of Portugal as a European and Atlantic state, committed to the United Nations' system and to multiple multilateral organisations and platforms, builder of bridges between different regions and cultures, is one of the main guidelines of our foreign policy.

Portugal develops a dynamic, constructive and responsible participation, closely following the action of the main bodies and agencies in the sphere of the United Nations.

Portugal has attached particular importance to peacekeeping operations, which are a national priority. We should emphasise the Portuguese participation through the deployment of elements of the Ministry of National Defence and the Interior Ministry in various peacekeeping missions. Portugal is currently represented in MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali), MINUSCA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation in the Central African Republic), UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan), MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), UNIOGBIS (United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau) and the United Nations Mission in Colombia.

The Portuguese commitment to multilateral diplomacy is also reflected in the importance that Portugal attaches to its participation in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and UNESCO, organisations followed by the Directorate of Multilateral Political Organisations.

International Officials

The presence of Portugal and Portuguese officials in International Organisations is one of the goals of our multilateral foreign policy. For this reason, a coordinating circuit of national applications has been established and has managed to achieve some considerable successes. The election of António Guterres for the position of UNSG in 2016 is noteworthy, given its importance. It is be important to mention the election of Portugal and Portuguese candidates to the Human Rights Committee, the International Law Commission, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and, finally, the position of United Nations Police Officer.

In this context, the next challenge will be Portugal's application to the Executive Board of UNESCO (mandate 2017-2021) in the elections to be held in Paris in November 2017, during the 30^th session of the General Conference. For 2018, the goal will be the re-election of a Portuguese national to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (mandate 2019-2022), in the elections that will be held at the United Nations (New York) in April 2018 during the session of ECOSOC. Apart from other applications on the horizon, clearly the most important one is the election of Portugal as a Non-Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council (mandate 2027-2028), in the 2026 elections, a goal towards which all efforts are being made.