PORTUGAL AT THE UNITED NATIONS                          

 

 

Portugal was admitted to the United Nations on 14 December 1955.

 

The events on 11 September 2001 (USA) and 11 March 2004 (Spain) proved that both defense and security issues should be understood beyond a military perspective. In fact, today's challenges to world peace and stability must privilege a political action based on a plural and multidisciplinary approach.

For Portugal, the terrorism phenomena and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are the biggest threats to our orderly society and peaceful way of life. It is, therefore, fundamental to develop global policies that are able to deal, in a preventive and efficient manner, against these threats.

Being the United Nations a privileged arena where the international community thrives to achieve global responses to common problems, our country considers that it should be this world's Organization the main areopagus to face those menaces and to ensure peace and stability. To be productive, however, multilateralism must be effective. This is why our Government contributes with implementing UN's resolutions.

Working with the international Agenda and within the United Nations framework, the Portuguese Government also tries to ensure that special attention is given to the most unprotected and vulnerable people, including children, elderly and disabled, as well as it thrives to take action against pandemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

ELECTIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND OTHERS IN THE UN SYSTEM

 

2007

• Jorge Sampaio

United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations

 

Jorge Sampaio was nominated by the secretary-general of United Nations, Ban-Ki-Moon the first High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations. The main objective of the Alliance of the Civilizations is to reinforce the dialog between the western countries and the Islamic world, promoting the values that lead to the reduction and to the end of the tensions between societies and different cultures, which will contribute to the international peace. This initiative was launched in 2005 by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan with the co-sponsorship of the prime ministers of Spain and of Turkey.

 

 

2006

• Jorge Sampaio

United Nations Special Envoy to Stop Tuberculosis

 

On May 15^Th, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Jorge Sampaio as his first Special Envoy to Stop Tuberculosis (TB). Mr Sampaio will work to build heightened awareness of this leading killer of our time. Mr. Sampaio has led an illustrious career and brings a wealth of experience to his new role as the Special Envoy to Stop TB.  He was sworn in as President of Portugal in March 1996, and was re-elected for a second five-year term of office in 2001.  During his time in office, Mr. Sampaio contributed to numerous international causes, including HIV/AIDS, human rights and the independence of East Timor.

2005

• On July 15^th, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the appointment of Ambassador António Monteiro, of Portugal, as High Representative of the United Nations for the elections in Côte d’Ivoire (30 October 2005).
  
  Among other relevant duties in his extended career, Ambassador António Monteiro has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations from 1997 to 2001 and previously, also in New York, was Deputy Permanent Representative at the Portuguese Mission to the UN from 1981 to 1987.

• On June 13^th, Portuguese candidate Catarina Carvalho, adviser at the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations, was elected, by acclamation, Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau of the Third Committee for the 60^th session of the U.N.'s General Assembly - Social, Humanitarian and Cultural matters. Ms. Carvalho's candidature was endorsed by the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG).
  

• Following a proposal made on 24 May by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, the UN's General Assembly elected, on 27 May, Mr. António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, of Portugal, as the 10^th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a five-year term, effective 15 June 2005.

  Mr. Guterres, a founding member of the Portuguese Refugee Council (1991), was Portugal's Prime Minister from 1995 to 2002 and, between 1999 and 2005 was the President of the Socialist International, an association of over 160 Social Democrat, Socialist and Labour parties and major organizations from some 140 countries.

  The High Commissioner for Refugees heads the Geneva-based UN agency established in 1950 and oversees UNHCR's 6,000 staff work in 115 countries worldwide, many of them in remote and difficult duty stations. The refugee agency, which has won two Nobel Peace Prizes, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1950 and has helped more than 50 million people over the past five decades.  

  The UNHCR has a website in Portuguese language. For the English website please check HERE.
  
  

• Portugal was appointed, by acclamation, on 18 May, as one of the four members of WEOG (Western European and Other states Group) that will fill the vacancies of this regional electoral group (Group I has a total of nine seats) at the Executive Board of UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This appointment has still to be confirmed by the elections for the four-year term membership of this Council being held during the General Conference of UNESCO, in Paris, scheduled from 3 to 21 October 2005.

  The Executive Board, consisting of 58 representatives nominated by the elected Member States, is the administrative and executive body of UNESCO and has also the task of preparing the work of the General Conference. Since it became a Member of UNESCO, in 1965, Portugal was elected only twice for the Executive Board, being the first term of office between 1976 and 1980, and the second term from 1991 to 1995.
  
  

• On 27 April, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal, among 14 member states, for a three-year term membership (beginning on 1 January 2006) of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting.
  

• On 27 April, the Economic and Social Council, at its resumed 2005 Organizational Session, nominated Portugal for election by the General Assembly, for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2006 on the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC).
  

• On 18 April, the delegates to the 27^th session of the Committee on Information re-elected, by acclamation, Mr. Sebastião Coelho, the Vice-Chairman of the COI's Bureau, to continue to serve in his capacity in 2005 and 2006. The uninominal candidature of the Press Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations was endorsed by the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG). The newly-elected Chairman of the Bureau, ambassador Mihnea Motoc, entrusted Mr. Coelho to become the Chairman of the Open-Ended Working Group of the COI's 27^th session.

2004

• On September 9^th, the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Europe, at its fifty-fourth session held at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, decided by consensus that Portugal would put forward its candidature to the WHO World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva in May 2005, for subsequent formal election to the WHO Executive Board.  
  
  Throughout its three-year term membership (2005-2008) Portugal will be represented by Prof. José Pereira Miguel, Portugal's Director-General and High Commissioner for Health. The WHO Executive Board is a body composed of 32 individuals technically qualified in the field of health.
  
  

• On August 5^th, Ms. Maria Regina Tavares da Silva, the Portuguese candidate to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), was re-elected during elections for this UN body held at the 13^th Meeting of the 177 States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. CEDAW is a UN's human rights treaty body consisting of 23 experts who are elected for four-year terms.
  
  

• On June 3^rd, at the annual meeting of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority, held in Jamaica, Portugal was re-elected as a member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority. The Assembly filled 20 of the 36-member Council seats open for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008 (four-year term). Portugal is part of Group C (4 States that are major land-based net exporters of minerals found on the deep seabed), and has been a member of the Council since 2002.
  
  

• On 4 May, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected, by acclamation, Portugal as a member of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund, for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2005.
  
  

• At its first meeting, held on 15 April at the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Headquarters in Madrid, the Quality Support and Trade Committee of the WTO (a technical organ of this UN’s specialized Agency) elected Portugal as its Chairman.
  
  

• On 23 February, in Geneva, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque (Portugal) was elected Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Open-ended Working Group to consider options regarding the elaboration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. (23 February – 5 March 2004).
  

2003

• On 31 October, the Economic and Social elected by acclamation Portugal (Western European and Other States Group) for a membership term beginning that same day and ending on 31 December 2005 of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting.
  
  

• At its 32^nd session, on 29 September, the General Conference of UNESCO re-elected Portugal as one of the 15 members of the Executive Committee of the International Campaign for the Establishment of the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo for a term ending at the closure of the 33^rd session of the General Conference (2005). Portugal had already been elected for a biannual term membership of this UNESCO’s subsidiary organ at the 26^th session (October 1991) and, more recently, at the 31^st session of the General Conference.
  
  

• On June 30^th, Portugal won the elections held at the General Conference of UNESCO, in Paris, for a Vice-Presidency of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and renewed its mandate for a two-year membership term in the Executive Council of the IOC.
  
  Regarding the election of Dr. Mário Ruivo for a two-year term as Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Subsidiary Body or Group of Experts, Portugal considers it as an international recognition to the work and commitment of the Portuguese Government's foreign policy  towards the important issue of the Oceans.
  
  

• On April 28^th, at the beginning of the twenty-fifth session of the Committee on Information of the United Nations, Mr. Sebastião Filipe Coelho Ferreira, Press Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations, was elected, by acclamation, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Information. His candidature for a two-year mandate (2003 and 2004) in the Bureau of the COI was endorsed by the the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG). Mr. Sebastião Coelho was entrusted by the Chairman of the Bureau, ambassador Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury (Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN), to become the Chairman of the Open-Ended Working Groups of the 24^th and 25^th sessions of the Committee on Information.

2002

• On 3 October, at its regular session, held in Marrakesh (Morocco), the Plenipotentiary Conference re-elected Portugal for a four-years term (2002- 2006) as member of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Council. Portugal, represented since 1994 by ANACOM, was a member of this Council between 1974 and 1952, between 1994 and 1998, and re-elected for another term of office for the period 1999-2002.
  
  The Presidency of the International Telecommunication Union 's (ITU) Council was granted to Portugal, represented by ANACOM's Director, Mr. Saraiva Mendes. By the initiative of the ITU's Secretary-General, Mr. Yoshio Utsumi, and with unanimous approval of the Member States that integrate it, Portugal was elected on October 17^th to preside the Council until the 2004 session.
  
  

• Ambassador Santa Clara Gomes, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, was appointed as a member of the ECOSOC’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau .
  
  This Group was formed in 2002 to examine the humanitarian and economic needs of Guinea-Bissau , review relevant programmes of support, prepare recommendations for a long-term programme of support and provide advice on how to ensure that the assistance of the international community in supporting Guinea-Bissau is adequate, coherent, well coordinated and effective and promotes synergy.
  
  

• With the appointment of the new Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, Ambassador Gonçalo Aires de Santa Clara Gomes became Vice-President of the UN General Assembly for its 57^th session. Between 30 March and 11 April 2003, Ambassador Santa Clara Gomes was the Acting President of the 57^th General Assembly of the United Nations after an invitation made by the President of the 57^th General Assembly, Mr. Jan Kavan.
  
  
  
  
  

• With the endorsement of the WEOG, Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa was elected, on July 17^th, Vice-President of the UN General Assembly for its 57^th session.
  
  

• UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, appointed, on June 4^th, a senior Portuguese official of the World Food Program to head the "Oil for Food" program in Iraq. Mr. Ramiro Armando de Oliveira Lopes da Silva was, until the month of July, the WFP´s Rome-based Director for transportation and logistics.
  
  

• On May 28^th, the UNAIDS' Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), at its regular session in Geneva, elected Portugal as Chair, for a one-year term.
  
  

• On April 29^th, the Economic and Social Council held elections for the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Portuguese candidate, Ms. Virgínia Braz Gomes, was elected for a four-year term beginning 1 January 2003, becoming then one of the 18 world experts of this subsidiary body of ECOSOC.
  
  

• On the elections for the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, on April 23^rd, the Portuguese candidature (Navy Commander Maia Pimentel) received 101 votes out of a total of 124 votes.
  
  The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf is a structure created by the Convention on the Law of the Sea and aims to decide on the bordering of the continental shelves of the State-Parties of the Convention. Its body of 21 world experts is a decisive element in an area of great economic and strategic importance.
  
  Portugal, that has developed a vast technical capacity in this field, has one of the world's largest continental shelves due to its Atlantic boundaries (Azores and Madeira).
  
  

• On March 15^th, immediately after the closure of the Second session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF2), a brief meeting of Third session was convened to elect the members of the Bureau for this particular session. The Portuguese candidate, Ms. Conceição Ferreira, was elected as Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau of the third session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF3), which was held in Geneva between 26 May and 6 June 2003 .
  
  

2001

• On November 7^th, the Portuguese candidate to the International Law Commission (ILC) of the United Nations, Prof. Paula Escarameia, was elected by the General Assembly for a five-year term. She obtained 155 out of a possible 178 votes, which was, in fact, the largest number of votes received by a Portuguese candidature in a UN election.
  
  This was the first time, since the ILC’s establishment in 1947, that Portugal became represented in this Committee and also that a woman was elected for this important UN subsidiary body.
  
  The International Law Commission has 34 members of recognised competence in international law – they are not government representatives but are elected and sit on the basis of their personal expertise – with the function of encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification.
  
  Professor Paula Escarameia teaches at the Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas (ISCSP), in Lisbon, and has several publications on international law and about the United Nations. Between 1995 and 1998, Prof. Paula Escarameia worked at the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations as a Legal Counsellor.
  
  

• On 15 October, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal  as a member of the Council of the UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE) for a four-year term ending at the closure of the 33^rd session of the General Conference (2005). Ms. Ana Benavente (Portugal) is Vice-President of this Council which consists of 28 Member States.
  
  

• At its 31^st session, on 15 October, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal as one of the 15 members of the Executive Committee of the International Campaign for the Establishment of the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo for a term ending at the closure of the 32^nd session of the General Conference (17 October 2003). Portugal had already been elected by the 26^th session of the General Conference (October 1991) for a biannual term membership of this UNESCO’s subsidiary organ.
  
  

• On 15 October, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal as a member of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) for a four-year term ending at the closure of the 33^rd session of the General Conference (2005).
  
  

• At its 31^st session, on 15 October, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal as a member of the Legal Committee of UNESCO for a two-year term starting at the beginning of the 32^nd session of the General Conference (29 September 2003) and ending at the beginning of the 33^rd session of the General Conference (2005). This Committee has 21 members.
  
  

• On October, the General Assembly 56^th session held elections for the Committee on Contributions. The Portuguese candidate, Mr. Eduardo Ramos, First Secretary of this Mission, was endorsed by the WEOG and elected for a three-year term (2002 - 2004), becoming, therefore, one of the 18 experts of this UN's body.
  
  

• On October 10^th, Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, was appointed by UN's Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, as member of the Advisory Board of UNFIP - United Nations Fund for International Partnerships - for a two year term.
  
  

• On September 13^th, Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa was elected, by acclamation, as Chairman of the Second Committee for the General Assembly's 56^th session - Economic and Financial matters. The candidature of the Permanent Representative of Portugal was endorsed by the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG).
  
  This election meant that for the very first time since Portugal became a member of the United Nations - on December 14^th, 1955 - a Portuguese representative was mandated to chair one of the six Main Committees of the Organization's General Assembly.
  
  

• On June 28^th, the Portuguese Language Club of the United Nations (CLP-UN) awarded its 2001 Medal of Honour CLP-UN to Mr. Sebastião Coelho, Press Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations. The official ceremony where the winner was presented with the award took place at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York .

  The annual Medal of Honour CLP-UN distinguishes individuals whose personal commitment and professional performance have contributed to strengthen the Portuguese language in the United Nations and helped to enhance the use of this idiom within the Organization’s framework.
  
  

• The Conference of the States Parties of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), at its Sixth Session on 14 May, elected Portugal to be a member of its Executive Council, for a two-year term of office commencing on 12 May 2002.
  

• The Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa, was elected, on March 22^nd, Vice-President of the Bureau of the Economic and Social Council, for the year 2001.
  
  The Western European and Other States Group (WEOG) endorsed the candidature of the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the UN, who would hold the responsibility for the Coordination Segment of ECOSOC for his mandate.
  

• On April 18^th, the Chairman of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights appointed Ambassador José Cutileiro, of Portugal, as the Commission of Human Rights Special Representative on the situation of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Mr. Cutileiro’s mandate was renewed in 2002 and he served in this post until 2003.
• On March 19^th, Ambassador Álvaro Mendonça e Moura, the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations Office and all other International Organizations in Geneva, was elected Vice-President of the Bureau of the Commission on Human Rights, a subsidiary body of ECOSOC. The candidature of Ambassador Álvaro Mendonça e Moura was endorsed by the WEOG.
  
  
• On February 26^th, Ms. Maria José Carrilho, representative of Portugal, was elected, with the endorsement of the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG), for one of the four Vice-Presidencies of the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee for the second World Assembly on Ageing.
  
  

• Ambassador António Monteiro was elected, on January 29^th, as Vice-President of the Bureau of the Economic and Social Council, for the year 2001.
  
  Ambassador Monteiro carried his assignment until March, the end of his tenure as Permanent Representative of Portugal to the UN.

 

2000

• At its one hundred and nineteenth session, on 23 November, the Food and Agriculture Organization's Council elected Portugal to replace Spain on the 36 member-only Executive Board of the World Food Programme for a two-year term beginning on 1 January 2001.
  
  

• On August 31^st, Ms. Maria Regina Tavares da Silva, the Portuguese candidate to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was elected during elections held at the 11^th meeting of the State parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This UN's human rights treaty body consists of 23 experts who are elected for a four-year term.
  
  

• On 3 May, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal to the 40 members-only Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for a three-year term membership, beginning 1 January 2001.
  
  

• The Economic and Social Council, on 3 May, elected Portugal to the 36 member-only Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for a three-year term membership, beginning 1 January 2001.
  
  

• In a resumed two-day organizational session, the Economic and Social Council, on May 3^rd, elected Portugal to one of the 22 member-only Programme Coordination Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (UNAIDS) for a three-year term membership, beginning 1 January 2001.
  
  

• On March 2^nd, Mr. Mário Duarte, candidate of Portugal, was elected Vice-Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
  
  

1999

• In accordance with paragraph 17 of General Assembly resolution 54/102 of 9 December 1999, Portugal was appointed member of the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law for the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2003.
  
  

• On 29 October, the General Assembly elected Portugal as member of the Economic and Social Council for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2000 .
  
  

• Portugal was elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, at its twelfth session held on 28 October, as a member of the 21 States Parties World Heritage Committee, for a six-year term ending at the close of the 33^rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO (2005).
  
  

• At its 30^th session, on 26 October, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal as a member of the International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB) until the end of the 32^nd session of the General Conference (17 October 2003). The Council consists of 34 Member States.
  
  

• On 8 October, the UN General Assembly, at its fifty-fourth session, elected Portugal's candidate, Ms. Luisa Pacheco, for a three-year term membership, beginning 1 January 2000, of the 34 members-only Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC).
  
  

• On 6 May, the Economic and Social Council appointed Ms. Ana Maria Braga da Cruz (Portugal) as member of the Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) for a three-year term beginning on 1 July 1999.
  
  

• On 6 May, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal as member of the Commission on Human Rights for a three-year term, beginning on 1 January 2000 .
  
  

• On 6 May, the Economic and Social Council re-elected Portugal for a four-year term membership, beginning on 1 January 2000, of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (NDC).
  
  

• On 6 May, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal to serve a three-year term, beginning on 1 January 2000, as member of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting.
  
  

• At its eleventh regular session, the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) elected Portugal to be a member of its 29 member-only Executive Council Board for a four-year term (2001-2003).
  
  

• At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 25 March, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal, by acclamation, for the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) for a term beginning on the date of election and expiring on 31 December 1999. Portugal's candidate, Ms. Luisa Pacheco, had been nominated by the Western European and other States Group to fill the vacancy in that UN body until the end of the year.
  
  

• Portuguese actress Catarina Furtado, UN Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador for the Portuguese Speaking Countries, was appointed on 8 March 1999 as the Face to Face campaign spokesperson for her country, working closely with UNFPA’s partner in the campaign, the Family Planning Association of Portugal (APF).
  
  Face to Face is a UNFPA campaign created in 1996 to highlight sexual and reproductive rights and women's problems in developing countries.
  

1998

• On 15 October, at its 15^th session, held in Minneapolis (USA), the Plenipotentiary Conference re-elected Portugal as member of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Council until 2002. Portugal, represented by ANACOM, was a member of this Council between 1974 and 1952, and took office again in 1994.
  
  

• On 8 June, Ambassador Álvaro de Mendonça e Moura (Portugal) was elected at the UN's 21^st Special Session, also known as the "Drug Summit", as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole, which had the mission of finalizing negotiations on the texts which were submitted to the General Assembly for adoption.
  
  

• At its 5^th plenary meeting, on 7 May, the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting for a membership term beginning on the date of the election and expiring on 31 December 1999 .
  
  

• On 7 May, the Economic and Social Council, at its 5^th plenary meeting, elected Portuguese candidate Mr. Manuel Carlos Serrano Pinto as an expert of the Committee on Natural Resources for a term beginning on the date of the election.
  
  

• The Commission on Narcotic Drugs elected, in March, Mr. Álvaro de Mendonca e Moura, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Portugal to the UN – Vienna, as Chairman of the Bureau presiding to the preparatory meetings (PrepCom) of the Twentieth Special Session of the General Assembly (8 to 10 June 1998) to Consider the Fight Against the Illicit Production, Sale, Demand, Traffic and Distribution of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Related Activities and to Propose New Strategies, Methods, Practical Activities and Specific Measures to Strengthen International Cooperation in Addressing the Problem of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
  
  

• On 3 February, at its the Economic and Social Council elected Portugal to the 33 members-only Commission on Science and Technology for Development for a term beginning on the date of the election and expiring on 31 December 2002.
  

1997

• Ambassador António Monteiro was elected Chairman of the Sanctions Committee on Iraq, established by resolution 661 on the United Nations Security Council.
  
  
  
  
  
• On 4 December, at its seventh regular session held at the Austria Center (Vienna), the General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) elected Portugal for the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO, to hold office for a four-year term, from the end of that session of the General Conference to the close of the ninth regular session (2001).
• At its 29^th session, on 7 November, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal's candidate, Ms. Maria José Moura, as a member of the Intergovernmental Council for the General Information Programme (PGI) for a term starting immediately after the close of that session and ending at the close of the 31st session of the General Conference (3 November 2001).
• On May 20^th, the UN General Assembly elected Portuguese candidate, Mr. Almiro Simões Rodrigues, as one of the 11 judges to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, to serve a four-year term beginning November 17, 1997.
• On May 13^th, at the beginning of the 19th session of the UN Committee on Information (COI), Mr. José Alberto de Sousa, Press Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations, was elected, by acclamation, Chairman of the Bureau of the COI, for a two-year mandate. His candidature was presented on behalf of the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG).
• At its 3^rd and 4^th plenary meetings, on 1 May, the Economic and Social Council held elections for the Commission on Sustainable Development and Portugal's candidature was voted favourably for a three-year term membership beginning on 1 January 1998 (Portugal was the only country that was not a member of the ECOSOC).
• The sixth meeting of the States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, convened by the UN Secretary-General at the United Nations Office in Geneva, on 26 November, elected the Portuguese candidate, Mr. António Silva Henriques Gaspar, to become a member of the Committee Against Torture (CAT), a body of 10 independent experts.
• On 7 February, the Economic and Social Council, at its 2^nd meeting, confirmed the nomination by the Portuguese Government of Mr. Emílio Aquiles de Oliveira to become a member of the Statistical Commission for a four-year term beginning 1 January 1998.

1996

• On 21 October, the General Assembly elected Portugal as a non-permanent Member of the Security Council for a two-year term (1997-1998).
• On 19 September, at its 40^th regular session held at the Austria Center (Vienna), the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency elected Portugal for its Board of Governors , to hold office for a two-year term, from the end of that session of the General Conference to the end of the 42^nd regular session (1998).
• Statistical Commission - Portugal was elected at the Economic and Social Council's substantive session, on 3 May, for a four-year membership (1997-2000) of this subsidiary body of ECOSOC.

1995

• Presidency of the 50th General Assembly
   
  Prof. Diogo Freitas do Amaral, the candidate of the WEOG Group, was elected President of the 50th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (in October 1995, the Organization celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, which was a historic meeting of almost all Heads of State and Heads of Government of its Member countries).

 

• At its 28th session, on 14 November, the General Conference of UNESCO elected Portugal ’s candidate, Mr. Carlos Assunção Silva, as a member of the Conciliation and Good Offices Commission (responsible for seeking the amicable settlement of disputes between States Parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education) for a term starting immediately after the close of that session and ending at the close of the 31^st session of the General Conference (3 November 2001).

• Summit of Social Development – Following the candidature presented by Portugal on March 1^st, Portugal was elected for one of the Vice-Presidencies of the Copenhagen Summit.
• Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) – During the elections held at the UN's Economic and Social Council, on March 5^th, Portugal was elected to this ECOSOC's Subsidiary Body for a four-year membership (1996-1999).
• Committee on Information – At the beginning of the 18th session of the UN Committee on Information (subsidiary body of the General Assembly), the Press Counsellor from the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations, Mr. José Alberto de Sousa, was elected by acclamation Vice-Chairman of the Committee,. His candidature was endorsed by the Western European and Other states Group (WEOG).
  
  
• Vice-President of the 4^th World Women Conference – Following presentation of its candidature, Portugal was elected, on 4 September, for one of the 6 Vice-Presidencies of the 4^th World Women Conference, held in Beijing.

1994

• Chair the Credentials Committee – At the beginning of the 49^th General Assembly, and following the standard procedure, the former Chairman elected the Credentials Committee with nine members. The Chairmanship was given to Portugal. Our country presided also to the committee in international conferences, such as the Social Development Summit (Copenhagen) and the Women World Conference (Beijing).
• On 19 October, at its 14^th session, held in Kyoto (Japan), the Plenipotentiary Conference elected Portugal as member of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Council. Portugal, currently represented by ANACOM, was a member of this Council between 1974 and 1952.
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP) – During the elections held at ECOSOC, on February 3^rd, Portugal was elected to the Executive Council of UNDP for a three-years mandate. Elections were extremely competitive on the Western Group, with 17 candidates to 12 seats.
• Commission on the Status of Women – On elections held in ECOSOC, on April 20^th, and following several demands made in the Western Group, Portugal was elected, by acclamation, for the Commission on the Status of Women, for a four-year mandate, beginning 1 January 1995.
• International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) – During the session of ECOSOC, on April 20^th, elections to the INCB were held with 34 candidates presented by the respective governments for 5 available seats. Mr. António Lourenço Martins, from Portugal, was elected on the first round.

1993

• Committee on the Rights of the Child – The Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, held on February 2^nd, elected five new members of the Committee. Portugal's candidate, Mrs. Marta Santos Pais, Adviser of the Documentation Office and Compared Law of the Attorneys General Office, was elected to serve a four-year term in her personal capacity.
• General Assembly / 5^th Committee – After the endorsement of the Western States and Other states Group (WEOG), Mrs. Maria Regina Serrão Emerson, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations, was elected Vice-Chairperson of Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary issues) for the 48^th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
• Economic and Social Council – During the session of the General Assembly held on October 21^st, Portugal was elected with 160 votes to be a member of the Economic and Social Council for a three-year term beginning 1 January 1994.

PORTUGAL AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL

Portugal was elected twice for a non-permanent membership of the Security Council. The first time our country became a member of this central UN Body was between 1979 and 1980 and again between 1997 and 1998. Portugal's presence there was an useful instrument for the international projection of our national interests and constituted an opportunity to consolidate the image of Portugal as a country fully committed to contribute in a positive way to the development of the international community.

As a non-permanent member, Portugal never ceased its efforts towards an increase of transparency in the procedures and deliberations of the Security Council.

During the second two-year term in this UN body, there were some areas in which we tried to achieve specific results:

1. Promoting the adoption of a wider concept of global security, based on Peace-building. This was addressed as a necessity due to the fact that the world changed since the adoption of the Charter of the United Nations.

2. Protection and promotion of human rights, requesting the Security Council to consider this element in all matters seizing its attention. In this regard, Portugal , during its presidency of the Council, took the initiative of inviting the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Sadako Ogata, to address the members of the Council and organized a similar meeting with the Secretary-General of Amnesty International.

3. Sanctions - Portugal organized the first gathering of chairmen of the different sanctions committees to discuss measures clearly aimed at specific targets, in order to avoid population's suffering because of the errors made by a regime or political leaders.

Portugal gave particular importance to Iraq, the Angolan Peace Process and the situation in the former Yugoslavia:

Iraq – in its capacity of Chairman of the Sanctions Committee, Portugal dealt with the whole concept of the "oil for food" formula, whose resolution 986 only began to be implemented since Portugal was elected to the Chair of the Committee, in 1997. The positive role played by Portugal in this matter led to its re-election to that Committee in the following year (1998).

Angola – when Portugal became a member of the Security Council, it was the first time that the Troika of Observers of the Peace Process in Angola existed as such within this UN Body. Together with the United States and the Russian Federation, Portugal had a key role in the creation of the U.N. Observer Mission in Angola, MONUA.

Former Yugoslavia – although being this an issue dealt within the framework of NATO, Portugal participated actively, in New York, in the restrict work of the Coordination Consultative Process, a group that was chaired twice by Portugal.

Apart from the situation in Angola, Portugal gave also a special attention to the African issues seizing the Security council, namely in Rwanda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Somalia. Our country was very active in the support of the Security Council meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs dedicated exclusively to the situation in that continent. Concerning Western Sahara, the independent role of Portugal while addressing the issue before the Security Council was recognized by the fact that direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front were held twice in Lisbon, Portugal's capital.

PORTUGAL'S ROLE IN PEACE-KEEPING OPERATIONS 
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OVERALL ASPECTS

With the end of the East-West confrontation, in the 1990's, a new international security order was defined with dialogue and cooperation, being these the fundamental instruments to establish global peace and security. The need for a political approach to international security and defense was made even more clear with the terrorist attacks on 9 September 2001 (USA) and 11 March 2004 (Spain).

Among a wide range of initiatives that demonstrate a growing international solidarity to face these issues, Peace-Keeping Operations are clearly in evidence. An increasing number of States, Portugal included, have been involved in these operations, facing considerable political, military and humanitarian challenges.

The Portuguese Armed Forces, besides their fundamental mission of defending the national territory and assuring the national sovereignty, have to be prepared to honor the international political commitments that Portugal undertakes, namely in the framework of NATO, the OSCE and the UN.

The need for a more assertive national presence implied the fostering of the Portuguese military capabilities in order to make them capable of addressing the different security missions and the new challenges that characterize our world. This led our country to restructure and modernize the Armed Forces.

Training and instruction have been vital to allow the Portuguese military to adapt their structures to the new security and defense environments. New approaches were necessary: since 1996, for example, the Code of Conduct approved in the OSCE Summit, held in Budapest (December 1994), was added to the programmes lectured in the Portuguese Military Academies and Colleges, as well as to all the programmes for promotion courses.

In June 1995, Portugal expressed its will to increase its support to Peace-Keeping Operations, moving voluntarily from group C to group B in the budget scale of assessments, a decision that was welcomed by the UN Secretary-General in a public statement.

Portuguese Armed Forces have been playing an important role in the international endeavour for peace and security by giving military assistance to developing nations in Africa , whose capacities to participate in Peace-Keeping Operations under the aegis of the UN or regional Organizations is being developed. This support has been given particularly to Portuguese-Speaking African countries (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe) with whom we have profound historic, cultural and economic ties.

Particular emphasis has been given to bilateral cooperation activities in the field of military assistance – of both political and technical nature. Several projects have been developed with the armed forces of those countries in the following areas – military training and instruction, legal services, logistics and technical support to the restructuring of military engineering, communications networks and maritime fields (hydrographical, oceanography and coastal lighthouse systems).

Training is one of the most significant activities of the military assistance programs and it has been pursued in two ways: either in Portugal for specialized training – Navy, Army and Air Cadets, Military Staff Courses, technical training, etc. - or in the African countries when “massive” training activities have to be implemented – Special Forces, Military Police Engineering, Communications, Coastal Guard, etc.

These programmes are prepared and consolidated through permanent and open dialogue, bilaterally and within the Community of the Portuguese-Speaking Countries - CPLP. The credibility of the cooperation activities that Portugal is supporting, lies in mutual respect and in the establishment of a solid platform in which needs and capacities are considered in an adequate way.

OUR PARTICIPATION

Portugal's experience in Peace-keeping Operations started with the participation of 24 Portuguese observers in the electoral process in Namibia, in 1989.

Since then, our country engaged in several UN missions:

UNAVEM II (Angola) (1991 - 1992)

Portugal participated with 12 military experts, 6 electoral experts, 5 air traffic controllers and 5 logistics support elements in this mission, comprising international observers whose purpose was to monitor the electoral process in Angola . In addition to these elements, a Portuguese military mission of nearly 50 officers and NCO’s, and headed by a Lieutenant General, was sent to that country to support training and the unification process of the Angolan Armed Forces.

Portugal also integrated missions of observers from the UN and the EU intended to monitor the electoral processes carried out in Guiné-Bissau, S. Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa and Mozambique.

UNPROFOR (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) (1992 - 1995)

Portugal participated with United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) and Civilian Police Officers (CIVPOL) to this mission in the Balkans region.

UNOMOZ (Mozambique) (1992 - 1994)

Portugal participated in this endeavour with a Signal Battalion (nearly 300 specialists).

In addition to these elements, Portugal also organized a military mission of 100 officers and NCO’S, headed by a Major General, to support training and the unification process of the Mozambican Armed Forces.

UNAVEM III (Angola) (1995 - 1997)

For this mission, Portugal contributed with a Signal Company (101 elements), a Logistics Company (205 elements), 10 Officers stationed at the HQ’s of the mission, 4 UNMO and 20 CIVPOL.

MONUA (Angola) (1997 - 1998)

The Portuguese contribution included, initially, 211 elements, comprising a Medical Unit, a Signal Company, a Logistics Company, 2 UNMO and 6 CIVPOL. This participation was latter downsized due to the reduction of the MONUA Force, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1164/98.

 

 

MINURSO (Western Sahara) (1991 -       )

Portugal participated in MINURSO since 1996 with UNMO and CIVPOL. It should be stressed that from April 1996 till June 1997, the command of the multilateral military component of MINURSO was assigned to Portuguese Officers.

MINUGUA (Guatemala) (1997)

Portugal was involved in this mission in Guatemala contributing with one Civilian Police Monitor (CIVPOL).

UNMIBH (Bosnia & Herzegovina) (1995 - 2002)

Portugal participated with CIVPOL for this mission in the Balkans.

UNMOP (Prevlaka Peninsula, Croatia) (1996 - 2002)

Portugal sent UNMO to this mission in the Balkans region.

UNMIK (Kosovo) (1999 -     )

For this mission in the Balkans, Portugal contributes with 13 Civilian Police Monitors (CIVPOL).

MONUC (Congo) (1999 -     )

Our country is contributing to this UN Mission in Central Africa with 9 CIVPOL.

ONUB (Burundi) (2004 -     )

Portugal participates with 2 Military Observers (UNMO) to the UN mission in this country in East Africa .

UNOCI (Côte D'Ivoire) (2004 -     )

Portugal participates with 2 Civilian Police Monitors (CIVPOL) for this mission in West Africa.

UNTAET  (Timor-Leste) (1999 - 2002)

Portugal participated with military and police contingents and CIVPOL for this mission.

UNMISET (Timor-Leste) (2002 - 2005)

It was Portugal's most significant involvement in any United Nations peace-keeping mission. After UNTAET's administrative term ended and Timor-Leste got its Independence, the UN's presence in the country was transformed into UNMISET. This mission ended on 20 May 2005, being substituted by a special political mission UNOTIL. A significant part of the equipment utilized by the former Portuguese military contingent in UNMISET, amounting to over 20 million USD, was donated by Portugal to the Government of Timor-Leste in June 2004.

UNMIL (Liberia) (2004 -     )

Portugal is contributing with 2 CIVPOL for this mission in West Africa.

MINUSTAH (Haiti) (2004 -     )

Portugal contributes with 5 CIVPOL for this mission in this Caribbean country.

OTHER FORMS OF PARTICIPATION

Portugal also participates in multilateral operations undertaken within the framework of NATO and of the WEU contributing to the efforts being pursued by the International Community to restore peace and stability in Europe.

Within the framework of the WEU, the Portuguese Navy took part in the "GRANDY" operation during the conflict in the Persian Gulf, from 31 October 1990 to 13 April 1991.

In the Balkans, Portuguese involvement started in the first semester of 1992, with the deployment of a group of observers and it was pursued in IFOR, SFOR and KFOR, with the participation of a more significant number of elements totalling almost 1300 military personnel during the years of 1996, 1997 and 1998 (besides the availability of air and naval assets).

At the outset, this involvement was met with some reserve in our country, especially when military forces were sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina, since that theatre of operations was not familiar to the Portuguese.

Nevertheless, Portugal did not fail to assume its responsibilities by playing a role that demonstrated its solidarity with the multilateral efforts towards achieving international peace and security.

Thus, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 743, the Portuguese involvement in former Yugoslavia started in February 1992 when 5 Military Observers and 30 policemen were sent to the surveillance areas in Krajina and Slavonia. Furthermore, within the framework of several UN Resolutions (781 and 802), two technicians for detection and intercepting operations were sent to Zagreb and Sarajevo together with 10 Military Observers. A P3-Orion was deployed to support the Adriatic embargo and a frigate, a corvette and a C-130 plane were made available for logistics support.

Portugal, as President of the European Community (January - June 92), submitted to its partners a proposal that was meant to contribute to the diplomatic resolution of the Balkans' conflict. The "Cutileiro Plan" (as it became known, after the name of the Portuguese Ambassador who was responsible for the presentation of that proposal) consisted in the territorial division of the former Yugoslavia based on the traditional ethnic occupations.

During the Portuguese Presidency of the EC, our country also deployed 30 Military Observers to the former Yugoslavia and allowed for the use of 4 INMARSAT satellite lines to support the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM).

On 5 February 1993, again within the framework of the United Nations, Portugal started a process of cooperation in the field of medicine (3 military doctors, 3 NCO nurses and an x-ray technician) with a French unit placed at Bihac. Such cooperation continued until the end of 1994.

As far as the Adriatic fleet operations in the framework of the WEU were concerned, Portugal deployed a frigate, from 20 February till 6 April 1993, a submarine, from October till December 1993, and several frigates, corvettes and an auxiliary ship during the year of 1995.

Within the framework of NATO, from February 1995 till April 1996, Portugal maintained, on a permanent basis, a MEKO class frigate in the Adriatic region. From April 1995 till April 1996, the Portuguese frigate "Corte Real" served as the flagship of STANAVFORLANT.

In compliance with the resolutions of the Dayton Agreement, Portugal contributed to IFOR with a global strength of 911 military personnel and, later on, with 321 military personnel to SFOR.

A C-212 and a C-130 aircraft's were also sent to support our national forces and to participate in the "Deny Flight" operation with Air Controllers, Military Observers and Police personnel totalling 60 Officers.