Portuguese premier calls for permanent UN Security Council seats for Africa, Brazil, India

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro on Thursday called for permanent seats on the UN Security Council (UNSC) for Africa, Brazil and India as part of efforts to make the body more representative.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Montenegro said the UN must become "more agile and effective," calling on member states to honor their financial commitments and provide the organization with adequate resources, including for peacekeeping missions, while also urging efforts to make the Security Council more representative.

"We must strive to make the Security Council more representative, which requires permanent seats from Africa for Africa, Brazil, and India, thereby reflecting the changing world," he said.

The prime minister said Portugal, which will join the Security Council as a non-permanent member in January, would prioritize preventing crises, strengthening partnerships and protecting human dignity.

Turning to the Middle East, he said the "humanitarian tragedy must end" and called for progress toward a two-state solution.

On Iran, he called for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Regarding Ukraine, Montenegro called for a "just and lasting peace" to end Russia's war, reaffirming Portugal's support for Kyiv.

The Portuguese premier also warned that conflicts were driving an energy crisis and higher fuel prices worldwide, describing the situation as "collective masochism" that should be brought to an end quickly.