By Francisco Mauro Brasil de Holanda
Ambassador of Brazil
With an overwhelming majority of 181 votes, including the invaluable support of Kuwait and most Arab countries, Brazil was elected on 10 June for its 11th mandate as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), biennium 2022-23.
Brazil’s coming mandate will have symbolic significance as it coincides with the 200 years of our independence from Portugal, in 1822. Since then, Brazil’s trajectory has been marked by stability and prosperity at home and constructive and peaceful relations with the outside world.
The peoples from different races, religions and cultures who settled in Brazil, including an Arab community estimated today at over 11 million people, of whom 35,000 are Muslims, built a Brazilian national identity without losing the attachment to their roots, in an ambience of tolerance and empathy towards each other.
Although occupying more than 50 percent of South American territory, Brazil settled all the border disputes with its 10 neighboring countries through peaceful means, mostly by arbitration. Counting on an energy matrix with more than 40 percent of renewable sources and over 60 percent of hydro resources on power generation, we feel fully prepared to join the international efforts for a cleaner world for the next generations.
Over the past 70 years, Brazil has participated in 41 peacekeeping operations, with more than 55,000 military and police officers. Brazil headed the United Nations Mission for the Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for thirteen years and commanded the Maritime Task Force of the Interim Force of Nations Nations of Lebanon (UNIFIL) for almost ten years, from 2011 to 2021.
Brazil currently participates at the UN Mission for Stabilization in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), where it commands its military component and provides training in jungle warfare for troops from third countries joining MONUSCO. It also now commands CTF-151, in the framework of the Combined Maritime Forces, a multilateral military partnership made up of 34 member nations. Brazil reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the UNSC reform. It is the Brazilian view that the long overdue reform of the UNSC is essential for the Council to maintain its centrality.
Brazil will continue to defend strict respect for international humanitarian and human rights principles and laws, paying utmost attention to individual freedoms and fundamental guarantees.
As a member of the Group of Friends for the Protection of Civilians, Brazil endeavours to reduce the impacts of armed conflicts on civilian population. In fulfilling this mission, Brazil will remain committed to the protection of vulnerable populations, especially women, children, the elderly and handicapped.
It will work to guarantee education for children and young people, mainly refugees and internally displaced persons; favor measures to protect hospitals; and ensure access to medical services. It is the Brazilian view that such measures are even more important in the light of the COVID-19 effects.
As a member of the UNSC in 2022-2023, Brazil will promote the valorization of women’s agenda and thus combat abuse and sexual exploitation. As a supporter of the creation of the Peace Building Committee (PBC) in 2005, and president of the agency in 2014, Brazil promoted the participation of developing countries and African regional and sub-regional organizations in the Commission’s activities and sought engagement between the PBC and the UNSC.
Since 2007, Brazil has held the presidency of PBC Guinea-Bissau configuration. First among the developing countries to exercise this function, Brazil has worked in close coordination with relevant national, regional and international organizations.
Brazil recognizes the importance of collaboration and joint planning between the UN and relevant regional organizations, such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the African Union (AU), the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and the Gulf Cooperation Council, among others.
As an active and dedicated founding member of the United Nations, Brazil was assigned with the distinction of opening the high level debates of the annual General Assemblies.
