Brazil and the United Nations

Federative Republic of Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations and participates in all of its specialized agencies.[1] Brazil is among the twenty top contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations,[2] and has participated in peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East, the former Belgian Congo, Cyprus, Mozambique, Angola, and more recently East Timor and Haiti.[3] Brazil has been regularly elected as a non-permanent member to the Security Council since its first session in 1946 and is now among the most elected UN member states to the UNSC, with the most recent successful election in 2009, to serve a two-year term starting in 2010.

Federative Republic of Brazil
United Nations membership
MembershipFull member
Since24 October 1945 (1945-10-24)
Former name(s)United States of Brazil (1945–1967)
UNSC seatNon-permanent
Permanent RepresentativeMauro Vieira

Activities
President Dilma Rousseff delivers the opening speech at the 66th Session of the General Assembly on September 21, 2011, marking the first time a woman opens a United Nations session.

General Assembly

Brazil has traditionally played a relevant role in the United Nations General Assembly. In 1947, foreign minister Osvaldo Aranha chaired the First Special Session of the General Assembly and the Second Session of the General Assembly. Since 1947, Brazil has been the first country to speak at the General Debate.[4] The opening speeches delivered by the Brazilian representatives often present an assessment of the international situation as a backdrop to express the Brazilian point of view on the main issues.[5] On September 21, 2011, President Rousseff became the first woman to open a General Debate since the United Nations was founded.[6]

Security Council

Brazil has been elected ten times to the United Nations Security Council, and is currently ranked second (Japan is first) in terms of most number of years as an elected member.

List of terms as an elected member to the Security Council:

  • 1946–47
  • 1951–52
  • 1954–55
  • 1963–64
  • 1967–68
  • 1988–89
  • 1993–94
  • 1998–99
  • 2004–05
  • 2010–11

Security Council reform

Brazil is actively engaged in the reform of the United Nations Security Council and has sought to garner support for a permanent seat with veto power.[7] It formed the G4 alliance with Germany, India, and Japan for the purpose of supporting each other’s bids for permanent seats.[7] Their proposal calls for an enlarged Security Council, expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership.[7] The initiative has been supported by a wide coalition of member states, from all regional groups of the United Nations.[7]

The United States sent strong indications to Brazil that it was willing to support its membership; albeit, without a veto.[8] In June 2011, the Council on Foreign Relations recommended that the US government fully endorse the inclusion of Brazil as a permanent member of the Security Council.[9] Brazil has also received backing from other permanent members: Russia,[10] the United Kingdom,[11] France,[12] all nations that form Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP),[13] Chile,[14] Indonesia, Finland,[15] Slovenia,[16] Australia,[17] South Africa,[18] Guatemala,[19] Vietnam,[20] the Philippines,[21] amongst others.

Peacekeeping
Brazilian peacekeeping soldier in Haiti.

A founding member of the United Nations, Brazil has a long tradition of contributing to peacekeeping operations. Brazil has participated in 33 United Nations peacekeeping operations and contributed with over 27,000 troops. Currently, Brazil contributes with more than 2,200 troops, military observers and police officers in three continents.[22]

Brazil has led the military component of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) since its establishment in 2004.[23] The mission's Force Commander is Major General Fernando Rodrigues Goulart of the Brazilian Army.[24] Brazil is the biggest troop contributing country to MINUSTAH, with 2,200 active military personnel.[25]

Brazil also leads the Maritime Task Force (MTF) of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).[26] Since February 2011, the UNIFIL MTF is under the command of Rear Admiral Luiz Henrique Caroli of the Brazilian Navy.[26] The Brazilian Niteroi-class frigate, União, is the flagship of the fleet comprising vessels from three other countries.[26]

Financial contribution

Brazil is the eleventh largest contributor to the United Nations regular budget, with a net contribution of US$38 million for the 2012 Assessment.[27]

Representation

New York

Brazil maintains a permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, which is headed by Ambassador Mauro Vieira.[28] The mission is responsible for Brazil's participation in all United Nations events that concern the country in meetings of the General Assembly, Security Council, and other U.N. agencies headquartered in New York.[29]

Geneva

Brazil maintains a permanent mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva, headed by Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo.[30] The delegation is responsible for representing Brazil at the agencies headquartered in Geneva.[29]

Rome

In Rome, Brazil maintains a delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), led by Ambassador Antonino Marques Porto e Santos.[31]

Paris

At the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris, the Permanent Delegation of Brazil is headed by Ambassador Marcia Donner Abreu.[32] Brazil joined UNESCO in 1946, and has been a member of its executive board several times, most recently 2007–09.[32]

See also

References
  1. Brazil and the United Nations Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
  2. United Nations Peacekeeping Factsheet United Nations. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
  3. Missões de Paz - Apresentação Archived December 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Exército Brasileiro. Retrieved on 2010-12-06. (in Portuguese).
  4. Brazil’s President Rousseff to be First Woman to Open United Nations Archived 2011-09-25 at the Wayback Machine FoxNews. Retrieved on 2011-09-20.
  5. United Nations General Assembly Archived August 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
  6. Brazilian leader is first-ever woman to open U.N. speeches CNN. Retrieved on 2011-09-21.
  7. Joint Press Statement: Ministerial Meeting of the G4 countries (Brazil, Germany, India and Japan) in the margins of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly Archived November 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations. Retrieved on 2012-01-26.
  8. "Powell: Brazil Not Developing Nukes" Archived July 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Fox News. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  9. Global Brazil and U.S.-Brazil Relations Archived 2012-09-08 at the Wayback Machine, Council on Foreign Relations
  10. "Putin in Brazil" Archived July 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Brazzil. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  11. "UK backs Brazil as permanent Security Council member" Archived May 11, 2010, at the UK Government Web Archive, Number10.gov.uk., 27 March 2009, Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  12. "France and Brazil" Archived January 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  13. "Chanceleres lusófonos discutem reforma das Nações Unidas" Archived 2018-12-22 at the Wayback Machine, Uol Notícias. Retrieved 2009-06-28. (in Portuguese)
  14. "Presidente do Chile pede ingresso do Brasil no Conselho de Segurança da ONU" Archived July 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Sul21. Retrieved 2011-04-04]
  15. "Brasil e Finlândia farão acordo para disseminação de fontes limpas de energia", Agência Brasil. Retrieved 2009-06-28. (in Portuguese)
  16. "Slovenia backs Brazil as permanent member of UNSC", People's Daily. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  17. "Brazil Gets Australia's Backing for UN Security Council Seat" Archived October 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Brazzil. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  18. "South Africa to support India, Brazil for Security Council seat" Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  19. "Brasil e Guatemala acertam apoio mútuo para Conselho de Segurança", Yahoo! Brazil. Retrieved 2009-06-28. (in Portuguese)
  20. "Presidentes do Brasil e Vietnã realiza 'Comunicado Conjunto' para cooperação para o desenvolvimento econômico e social" Archived 2012-04-06 at the Wayback Machine, Fator Brasil. Retrieved 2009-06-28. (in Portuguese)
  21. "PGMA, Brazilian President Lula agree to further strengthen RP-Brazil relations", Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  22. Brazilian Presidency of the Security Council Archived August 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations. Retrieved on 2011-02-02.
  23. Exército Brasileiro: Haiti Archived January 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Brazilian Army. Retrieved on 2012-01-26. (in Portuguese).
  24. MINUSTAH Leadership United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. Retrieved on 2012-07-26.
  25. MINUSTAH Facts and Figures United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. Retrieved on 2012-01-26.
  26. Brazilian Flagship for UNIFIL Maritime Task Force, 25 November 2011 Archived July 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Retrieved on 2012-07-26.
  27. Assessment of Member States’ contributions to the United Nations regular budget for 2012 Archived September 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine United Nations. Retrieved on 2012-01-26.
  28. Mission personnel Archived November 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
  29. O Brasil na ONU Archived December 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Nações Unidas no Brasil. Retrieved on 2010-12-06. (in Portuguese).
  30. Permanent Missions United Nations Office at Geneva. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
  31. A Representação Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Representação do Brasil junto à FAO. Retrieved on 2010-12-06. (in Portuguese).
  32. Brazil UNESCO. Retrieved on 2010-12-06.
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