This position was taken by António Costa in the message he sent to the United Nations General Assembly, whose general debate started on Tuesday and which, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is being carried out by videoconference with pre-recorded speeches by part of the heads of state and government of the different countries.
In his speech, the Portuguese Prime Minister defended the idea that the current “global emergency framework” reinforces the need for cooperation between States and international organizations in responding to the health challenge and its social and economic consequences.
“The UN is a central element of these efforts, including through the Global Humanitarian Response Plan to Covid-19, promoted by the secretary general, António Guterres. We support its implementation and value the WHO coordinating role ”, he stressed.
António Costa also stated that one of the “essential priorities” of the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin on January 1, 2021, will be the recovery of growth and jobs “and increase the resilience of economies, societies and the State".
“It is also necessary to strengthen development cooperation and the capacity of the United Nations system to act in this area. Portugal reinforced its contributions to the various United Nations agencies, with emphasis on WHO, the International Migration Organization, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Program or UNICEF ”, he added.
At this point, the Prime Minister even dramatized the mission of combating economic and social inequalities in the world.
“International security is not compatible with such an unequal distribution of resources on a global scale, especially in conjunction with demographic imbalances and the phenomena of environmental degradation that are often associated with it. We need a new global commitment based on human dignity, balancing concrete access to opportunities and hope ”, argued António Costa in what was his second background speech before the United Nations General Assembly.
In the domain of the environmental agenda, António Costa warned that the crisis that brought the Covid-19 pandemic "does not serve as an excuse to interrupt policies against the current climate emergency, which constitutes an existential threat for all".
“On the contrary, coordination between the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement needs to be deepened, helping to create societies less vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events. But it is also essential to deepen the relationship between oceans and climate change, with special attention to small island states. For this reason, Portugal reaffirms its commitment to co-organize, with Kenya, the United Nations Conference on Oceans, in 2021, and counts on the participation of all UN Member States, at the highest level ”, he said.
António Costa also used the word to defend “free, plural and tolerant societies, which reject racism, xenophobia, homophobia and populism and who work for inclusion, gender equality and freedom of expression”.
“The pandemic has placed new demands on the promotion and protection of human rights. Portugal immediately responded to these demands, extending, in particular, access to the National Health Service to all migrants and refugees, regardless of their status and legal status, under the same conditions as for national citizens. Portugal has played an active role in welcoming migrants and refugees, in an unequivocal expression of solidarity ”, he said.
Thus, the Prime Minister of Portugal reiterated the country's “full support” for the Global Compact for Orderly, Safe and Regular Migration.
“Within the framework of the International Organization for Migration, we are one of the pilot countries in its implementation. Portugal is a pioneer country in the abolition of the death penalty, opposing its application in any circumstances. In that sense, I call for the approval of the biennial resolution on the moratorium on the death penalty, which will be presented during this session of the General Assembly ”, he added.
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This position was taken by António Costa in the message he sent to the United Nations General Assembly, whose general debate started on Tuesday and which, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is being carried out by videoconference with pre-recorded speeches by part of the heads of state and government of the different countries.
In his speech, the Portuguese Prime Minister defended the idea that the current “global emergency framework” reinforces the need for cooperation between States and international organizations in responding to the health challenge and its social and economic consequences.
“The UN is a central element of these efforts, including through the Global Humanitarian Response Plan to Covid-19, promoted by the secretary general, António Guterres. We support its implementation and value the WHO coordinating role ”, he stressed.
António Costa also stated that one of the “essential priorities” of the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin on January 1, 2021, will be the recovery of growth and jobs “and increase the resilience of economies, societies and the State".
“It is also necessary to strengthen development cooperation and the capacity of the United Nations system to act in this area. Portugal reinforced its contributions to the various United Nations agencies, with emphasis on WHO, the International Migration Organization, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Program or UNICEF ”, he added.
At this point, the Prime Minister even dramatized the mission of combating economic and social inequalities in the world.
“International security is not compatible with such an unequal distribution of resources on a global scale, especially in conjunction with demographic imbalances and the phenomena of environmental degradation that are often associated with it. We need a new global commitment based on human dignity, balancing concrete access to opportunities and hope ”, argued António Costa in what was his second background speech before the United Nations General Assembly.
In the domain of the environmental agenda, António Costa warned that the crisis that brought the Covid-19 pandemic "does not serve as an excuse to interrupt policies against the current climate emergency, which constitutes an existential threat for all".
“On the contrary, coordination between the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement needs to be deepened, helping to create societies less vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events. But it is also essential to deepen the relationship between oceans and climate change, with special attention to small island states. For this reason, Portugal reaffirms its commitment to co-organize, with Kenya, the United Nations Conference on Oceans, in 2021, and counts on the participation of all UN Member States, at the highest level ”, he said.
António Costa also used the word to defend “free, plural and tolerant societies, which reject racism, xenophobia, homophobia and populism and who work for inclusion, gender equality and freedom of expression”.
“The pandemic has placed new demands on the promotion and protection of human rights. Portugal immediately responded to these demands, extending, in particular, access to the National Health Service to all migrants and refugees, regardless of their status and legal status, under the same conditions as for national citizens. Portugal has played an active role in welcoming migrants and refugees, in an unequivocal expression of solidarity ”, he said.
Thus, the Prime Minister of Portugal reiterated the country's “full support” for the Global Compact for Orderly, Safe and Regular Migration.
“Within the framework of the International Organization for Migration, we are one of the pilot countries in its implementation. Portugal is a pioneer country in the abolition of the death penalty, opposing its application in any circumstances. In that sense, I call for the approval of the biennial resolution on the moratorium on the death penalty, which will be presented during this session of the General Assembly ”, he added.