The farewell ceremony for the 7th National Detached Force, Mechanized Infantry Company, heading to Romania was held this evening in Lisbon, presided over by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA), General José Nunes da Fonseca.
“We all wanted to witness this ceremony, full of symbolism, representing another step in the national commitment to international peace and security (…) With the projection of military forces, Portugal reaffirms solidity and coherence in fulfilling its commitments,” stated the general, according to the speech accessed by Lusa.
According to the CEMGFA, these commitments “result from the responsibility to act and react in the current international context, marked by increasing instability, hybrid threats, and transversal risks.”
“This year, the engagement of our National Detached Forces is planned for 43 missions across four continents, involving about 2,500 military personnel. Women and men in whom the greatest confidence is placed, invariably characterized by determination, professionalism, solidarity, and dynamism,” he noted.
General José Nunes da Fonseca emphasized that “the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine highlighted the centrality of NATO’s founding principles,” such as “cohesion, readiness, and solidarity.”
“The firm response of the Alliance, anchored in collective defense, reaffirmed its role as a guarantor of territorial integrity and common security,” he stressed.
According to the EMGFA statement, following the invasion of Ukraine, “NATO decided to strengthen the defense of its southeastern border through the mission ‘enhanced Vigilance Activities’ (eVA) to promote cohesion in protection, deterrence of external threats, and if necessary, the defense of Alliance members.”
This 7th National Detached Force to Romania, according to the same statement, “materializes Portugal’s strong commitment” to NATO.
The mission, lasting six months, consists “of approximately 200 Army and Navy military personnel, initiated in 2022 with the Portuguese military presence in Romania.”
