Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa addressed journalists at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he met with António Guterres ahead of the 80th general debate session of the UN General Assembly, where he is set to deliver his sixth and final speech as head of state on Tuesday.
“I found the Secretary-General in great shape. It has been a long time since I’ve seen him in such good form, very motivated despite the current global situation, feeling that in the medium term, there is no alternative to the United Nations,” he stated.
“There is no alternative to what he advocates, and therefore, what sometimes feels like a difficulty at the moment will be overcome by reality itself,” added the President, noting that this meeting “served for Portugal to reaffirm its support” for the UN Secretary-General.
The President of Portugal highlighted as “a good signal” that U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with the Secretary-General on Tuesday, and several other countries are also expected to meet with President Trump on Middle East issues, an area where Portugal has expressed its views to find a solution for the future.
Regarding the bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa stated that the King of Jordan has accepted his invitation to visit Portugal by the end of the year. He also received confirmation today from the President of Tajikistan supporting Portugal’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2027-2028, to be elected in 2026.
