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The Minister of Foreign Affairs formally launched, on Thursday in New York, Portugal’s campaign to obtain a non-permanent place on the United Nations (UN) Security Council under the motto “Prevention, Partnership, Protection”.

In a hotel in New York, in front of a room full of diplomats from the most diverse geographies, Paulo Rangel highlighted the advantages of the Portuguese candidacy and asked for support in the vote that will take place in 2026 and in which Portugal will face Germany and Austria.

According to the minister, Portugal will present a “preventive diplomacy”, “build bridges” and focus on “protection”.

“We have three main slogans for this campaign: on the one hand, the idea of ​​preventing and avoiding conflicts. Therefore, being on the Security Council with what we call preventive diplomacy. Secondly, build bridges, be partners. We believe that, at an international level, and I would even say global, the Portuguese State is known for its ability to build bridges in all continents: from Oceania to Asia, from Africa to America or in Europe,” he defended. Rangel speaking to reporters before the event.

“Portugal has what is called ‘soft power’, it has a great soft power capacity, therefore to build bridges. This is very relevant not only in security issues, but also in agendas such as, for example, the reform of international finance, so that the debt of the poorest countries can be restructured, as in the case of Africa. And then we will also have the idea of ​​protection,” he argued.

The election in question for the Security Council – one of the most important bodies of the United Nations, whose mandate is to ensure the maintenance of international peace and security – will take place in 2026, for the 2027/2028 biennium.

Portugal’s direct opponents are Germany and Austria, in dispute for the two non-permanent member places assigned to the Western Europe and Other States group.

The candidacy was formalized in January 2013 and the elections for the aforementioned mandate will take place during the 81st General Assembly of the United Nations, in 2026, the year in which António Guterres ends his second five-year term as Secretary General of the United Nations . UN.

On Monday, the Government announced that it had allocated 1.7 million euros to this candidacy.

Paulo Rangel is confident that Portugal will be able to differentiate itself from Germany and Austria, two countries that “represent the same language, the same space” and have “very similar cultures.”

Portugal, the minister noted, Its advantage and differentiation factor is “more Atlantic vocation, more maritime vocation, more universalist vocation”in addition to “an important presence in America and Africa, and a great tradition in Asia”, which are “very relevant assets”.

“I am absolutely convinced that (…) if we carry out a campaign in line with the Portuguese tradition in the United Nations, we will be assured of our election as a non-permanent member for the 2027/2028 biennium. This is not overconfidence. As I say, we will have to work until the end. Because the vote is secret from the beginning. (…) I think we have a lot of support in quantity and quality,” he advocated.

“I think Portugal has many possibilities. And, in fact, he has shown in the past that he has very difficult rivals and has managed to win. I think the trump card is, first of all, the Portuguese global and universalist vocation. This ability to dialogue with the entire world,” highlighted Paulo Rangel, in New York.

Rangel admits adaptations to Trump’s election, but denies pessimism

Asked about the future of relations between the United Nations and the new North American administration of Donald Trump – who in the first presidential term cut funding to several UN agencies and withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific Organization and Culture (UNESCO)–, Paulo Rangel said he believes that the multilateral organization will be prepared for possible “limitations.”

“It is clear that we know that President Trump’s doctrine in his first term was always to invest less in multilateral relations and greater investment in bilateral relations. So this had some consequences for UN funding. But, as far as I know, the UN is also willing to impose some limitations at this level, so, honestly, I would not dramatize this issue either,” the minister said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs assumed, in New York, that a new Donald Trump government in the United States (USA) will lead Portugal and the European Union to make adaptations, but he denies pessimism.

“For Portugal, the United States is a fundamental strategic partner. They are partners in the field of security and defense, today with economic and cultural relations at the level, for example, of research and science, which are fundamental and bring great benefits to both countries. And that’s why we work with any American administration. Whenever there is a change of American administration, and in this case there is even a change of party (…), obviously there have to be adjustments, there have to be adaptations,” Paulo Rangel argued on Thursday.

In statements to journalists in New York, the minister indicated that Portugal is already preparing the agenda for its relations with the Government of Donald Trump, admitting the need to “do one’s homework.”

“We work with all administrations and we are already doing so. (…) I made multiple contacts throughout the day with several US officials and with many representatives from various countries. (…) POrtugal is already preparing what will be the agenda for the next relationship with the American administration. Honestly, from that point of view, I’m not really worried. “I think we have to do our homework and there will definitely be adjustments,” he advocated.

Asked about the impact that a cut in North American support for Ukraine would have in Europe, Paulo Rangel considered it premature to address the plans of the new Republican executive, either for this conflict or for others in the world.

However, he recalled the pressure that “several US administrations” have exerted for greater investment in military matters and for an equitable distribution of defense costs in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Over the past year, Donald Trump has stated that he has no intention of maintaining support for Ukraine and, a few months ago, stated that he would encourage Russia to “do whatever it wants” to NATO countries that do not comply with Spending Guidelines. in defense.

“We know that this pressure, which was already great and which did not come only from the Trump administration (Joe Biden’s administration was the one that took this the furthest in practice, it was the one that achieved the most results), will increase.” Rangel said.

“In the Portuguese caseOur relations are excellent and we will invest twice: we will invest in the bilateral relationship and naturally we will invest in the relationship that is carried out on multilateral terms.whether through NATO, with Defense and Security, or through the European Union,” the minister reinforced.

For Paulo Rangel, a change in policy by the North American administration could give the European Union “the stimulus for some measures to be taken.”

“So, honestly, I don’t have a vision, let’s say… I’m not a pessimist,” said the leader of Portuguese diplomacy.

Regarding Donald Trump’s economic agenda, which defends the application of tariffs and greater economic protectionism, Paulo Rangel also recalled that during Joe Biden’s administration “the Inflation Reduction Law forced very difficult negotiations between the European Union and “USA, with important economic impacts in Europe.”

“Therefore, there will surely be changes of geopolitical and geoeconomic scope,” he highlighted. Republican Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States, after having exceeded the necessary 270 votes in the electoral college, while the results are still being counted.