NEW YORK (dpa-AFX) – Portugal and Austria are celebrating their entry into the powerful UN Security Council for the next two years in New York. The victory was the result of an “intensive and coordinated advertising campaign” and a 15-year-long election campaign, said Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger in New York. Paulo Rangel, Foreign Minister of Portugal, said the commitment to United Nations principles and multilateralism had paid off for the country. Both countries will move to the council for the fourth time from January 2027, the politicians said.
Germany was defeated by the two countries in the race for two vacant seats in the “Western Europe and Others” regional group. In addition to the five permanent members, there are ten non-permanent members on the Security Council.
Victory honors “the entire Portuguese people”
President António Seguro said Portugal’s election to the UN Security Council was a success that “honors the entire Portuguese people.” The election reflects the credibility, trust and respect that Portugal enjoys in the international community.
“This is a great diplomatic success for our country,” said Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP). The country stands for dialogue instead of confrontation, for understanding instead of bloc thinking and for an international order in which the strength of the law prevails over the law of the stronger, said the conservative head of government, whose country, unlike Portugal and Germany, is not a NATO member./apo/DP/he