In the United States for the 76th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, President Marcelo has defended the urgent need for a global treaty against pandemics and the reform of the World Health Organisation (seriously tarnished by a recent Sunday Times exposé click here).
While ‘back home in Portugal’ politicians are racing up and down the country gathering support for the municipal elections next weekend, Portugalâs head of state is due to make a speech at the UN general assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Pressed by journalists to reveal its message, he said he means to âcall attention to the worldâs current problems: âthe pandemic, on one hand, the economic and social crisis on the other – and the geopolitical situationâ.
Visiting Portuguese emigrĂ© communities in the meantime, he stressed the moment has come for âa reinforcement of dialogue and global organisationsâ.
âThis is urgent because we have to prevent new pandemics with a global treaty against pandemics, we have to reinforce and reform the World Health Organisation – which signifies giving more weight to the United Nations and world organisations. In climate terms, we have to go further, because everything is connected to everythingâŠâ
Portugalâs second-term Head of State stressed current times are âvery, very sensitiveâ – and while Portugal is in a âgood placeâ when it comes to Covid-19 right now, many countries arenât. âThis needs a global responseâ, he said again. Covid-19 (or any future pandemic) cannot be won if countries work alone.
âThis is the lesson that we can take from everything: from the pandemic, from Afghanistan and the crisis: no power, even the strongest – and the United States of America is the strongest power in the world at this moment, but there are others on a global and regional level – can resolve problems of this dimension on its own. There have to be international organisations that work and prevent before having to remedyâ.
What other powers was Marcelo talking about? Certainly China, possibly Russia – and on a regional level very possibly the Taliban/ Islamic fundamentalists.
His words came hot-on-the-heels of the latest diplomatic furore that a treaty between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia over the procurement of nuclear submarines, has created in terms of relations with China (not to mention France, and to a large extent the European Union).
Today, Sunday, Marcelo has been visiting New Yorkâs 9/11 memorial, and renewed his theme that âno power, no country, no limited coalitionâ can beat terrorism. The answer lies in âopening of a global vision and reinforcement of international organisationsâ.
In short, terrorism âjust like the climate, like migrations, pandemics, economic and social crises, global phenomena, requires global solutionsâ.
Marcelo has also told reporters ahead of his intervention on Tuesday that he will be âespecially salutingâ the re-election of AntĂłnio Guterres as the UNâs secretary-general, as this constitutes âprestige for Portugalâ which he believes has the capacity to âbuild bridgesâ particularly between the United States, the European Union, the CPLP (community of Portuguese speaking countries) and the Ibero-American community.
Portugalâs president has also alluded to Portugalâs hosting of the âuniversal conference on the oceansâ in June next year – saying this will be yet another opportunity to come up with global solutions to foment development âbecause only this will halt migrationsâ.
