Portugal will uphold an international agenda that also focuses on the less media-prone conflicts in the UN Security Council, stated the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel in the Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities Commission hearing in Parliament on 17 June.

“There are no first or second grade conflicts. Some generate as much humanitarian harm as others, yet they are in the shadow” stated Paulo Rangel, indicting that this will be one of the priorities guiding the Portuguese participation in the UN Security Council for 2027-2028.

The position was taken during the hearing where the Government presented the main lines of Portuguese foreign policy, focusing on the Middle East, Ukraine, multilateralism, and the upcoming Portuguese term in the UN Security Council.

Portugal was elected on 3 June as non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. In the parliamentary hearing, the Minister deemed that this election confirms Portugal’s external credibility and boosts the country’s responsibility in defending multilateralism, diplomatic mediation, and attention to the less visible crises.

Attention to all international crises

The conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine concentrate great part of the international attention, yet there are still serious crises in countries such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Myanmar. The Minister upheld that the UN Security Council must retain its capacity for intervention and mediation in these contexts also, to avoid these crises being kept off the international agenda.

On the Middle East, Paulo Rangel advocated that “the European Union should be firmer” and “we have some pressure leverage on Israel and if we do not use it, it could be viewed as indifference”, adding that the radicalisation under way may jeopardise the fragile balances in the region.

The Minister showed great concern with the situation in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Gaza, where the humanitarian deadlock remains. The Minister advocated containment and moderation, including in Lebanon, so the diplomatic efforts under way may continue.

Defending multilateralism

During the hearing, the Minister reaffirmed that Portugal will continue to uphold foreign policy based on international law, the United Nations Charter and the quest for diplomatic solutions for conflicts.

The upcoming term on the United Nations Security Council will be, according to Paulo Rangel, an opportunity for Portugal to contribute to a more balanced international agenda, that responds to crises of greater visibility, yet also the conflicts that affection millions of people away from media attention.