President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa marked Portugal’s 70th anniversary of joining the United Nations (UN) this Sunday, emphasizing the “renewed commitment of Portugal to multilateralism” in a world that is “increasingly fragmented, polarized, and unpredictable.”
“On the day celebrating the 70th anniversary of Portugal’s accession to the UN, the President of the Republic highlights Portugal’s renewed commitment to multilateralism, guided by the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, as an essential pillar of international law and a rules-based international order,” reads a note on the Presidency of the Republic website.
Marcelo stressed that “facing an increasingly fragmented, polarized, and unpredictable world,” strengthening the bond with the United Nations is “increasingly an ethical imperative and an expression of the universal and indivisible nature of human rights, which everyone must promote and protect.”
“As a country open to the world and committed to building bridges, Portugal reaffirms its support for multilateralism and the United Nations principles as a way to combat isolation, reminding that there is no peace without human rights or sustainable development without inclusive societies,” he emphasized.
Portugal was admitted as a member of the United Nations during a special session of the General Assembly on December 14, 1955. The declaration of acceptance of Portugal to the obligations of the Charter was deposited with the Secretary-General on February 21, 1956.
Rangel Celebrated 70 Years at the United Nations in New York
Earlier this month, on December 5, a commemorative event for Portugal’s 70th anniversary of joining the UN was held, attended by Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel. Simultaneously, promotion of Portugal’s candidacy as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2027/2028 biennium took place.
“This campaign has been ongoing since 2013, which means we have garnered much support over the years. Now, in the final semester, it is essentially about reinforcing and confirming that support. (…) Although undoubtedly some UN member states have not yet decided on their vote, it is crucial now to undertake consistent work of confirmation and persistence, as things can change in these six months,” he admitted.
“It’s not a job that began now; it’s a task of several governments and was, I would say, systematically pursued by these various governments. Undoubtedly, I believe that Portugal’s candidacy is well-directed, but now we cannot let our guard down in these six months,” he insisted.
At the event, the minister argued that Portugal cannot “let its guard down” in the final stretch of the Security Council campaign, stressing the need to stabilize voting trends.
Security Council? Portugal Faces Germany and Austria as Direct Competitors
Portugal is competing for the Security Council—one of the United Nations’ most important bodies, whose mandate is to ensure the maintenance of international peace and security and whose decisions are binding—under the motto “Prevention, Partnership, Protection.”
The election for a non-permanent member for the 2027/2028 biennium is scheduled for June of the next year.
Portugal’s direct competitors are Germany and Austria, vying for the two non-permanent member slots allocated to the Western Europe and Other States group.
The candidacy was formalized in January 2013, and the elections for the mandate occur during the 80th United Nations General Assembly in 2026, the year António Guterres concludes his second five-year term as UN Secretary-General.
