Brazil and the United Nations
Encyclopedia
Brazil
is a founding member of the United Nations
and participates in all of its specialized agencies. Brazil is among the twenty top contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and has participated in peacekeeping
efforts in the Middle East
, the former Belgian Congo
, Cyprus
, Mozambique
, Angola
, and more recently East Timor
and Haiti
. In 2010-2011, Brazil occupies a non-permanent seat in the Security Council
for a two-year mandate. Along with Japan, Brazil has been elected more times to the Council than any other UN Member State.
. In 1947, foreign minister Oswaldo 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. 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. On September 21, 2011, President
Rousseff
became the first woman to open a General Debate since the U.N. was founded.
as the country that has served for the most number of years as an elected member.
List of terms as an elected member to the Security Council:
Brazil is currently seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council
. It is a member of the G4
, an organization composed of Brazil, Germany
, Japan
, and India
, all nations who are currently seeking permanent representation. According to their plan the UN Security Council would be expanded beyond the current fifteen members to include twenty-five members. This would be the first time that permanent status has been extended to a South America
n nation and supporters of the G4 plan suggest that this will lead to greater representation of developing nations rather than the current major powers.
, which is headed by Ambassador
Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti
. 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.
, headed by Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo. The delegation is responsible for representing Brazil at the agencies headquartered in Geneva
.
, Brazil maintains a delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), led by Ambassador Antonino Marques Porto e Santos.
(UNESCO) headquarters in Paris
, the Permanent Delegation of Brazil is headed by Ambassador Marcia Donner Abreu. Brazil joined UNESCO in 1946, and has been a member of its Executive Board several times, most recently 2007-2009.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
is a founding member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and participates in all of its specialized agencies. Brazil is among the twenty top contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and has participated in peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
efforts in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the former Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, and more recently East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. In 2010-2011, Brazil occupies a non-permanent seat in the Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
for a two-year mandate. Along with Japan, Brazil has been elected more times to the Council than any other UN Member State.
Activities
UN General Assembly
Brazil has traditionally played a relevant role in the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
. In 1947, foreign minister Oswaldo Aranha
Oswaldo Aranha
Osvaldo Euclides de Sousa Aranha was a Brazilian politician, diplomat and statesman, who came to national prominence in 1930 under Getúlio Vargas....
chaired
President of the United Nations General Assembly
The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis.- Election :...
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. 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. On September 21, 2011, President
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
became the first woman to open a General Debate since the U.N. was founded.
UN Security Council
Brazil has been elected ten times to the UN Security Council, and is currently tied with JapanJapan and the United Nations
Japan holds many international cooperations within the United Nations as a basic principle of its foreign policy. When Japan joined the UN in 1956, it did so with great enthusiasm and broad public support, for the international organization was seen to embody the pacified country's hopes for a...
as the country that has served for the most number of years as an elected member.
List of terms as an elected member to the Security Council:
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|
|
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Brazil is currently seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
. It is a member of the G4
G4 nations
The G4 is an alliance among Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan for the purpose of supporting each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. Unlike the G8 , where the common denominator is the economy and long-term political motives, the G4's primary aim is the...
, an organization composed of Brazil, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, all nations who are currently seeking permanent representation. According to their plan the UN Security Council would be expanded beyond the current fifteen members to include twenty-five members. This would be the first time that permanent status has been extended to a South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n nation and supporters of the G4 plan suggest that this will lead to greater representation of developing nations rather than the current major powers.
Peacekeeping
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.Financial contribution
Brazil is one of the main contributors to the UN regular budget (USD $18 million for the 2007 Assessment).New York
Brazil maintains a permanent mission to the United Nations in New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which is headed by Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti
Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti
Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti is the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, as of 25 July 2007. Viotti was the President of the United Nations Security Council for the month of February 2011...
. 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.
Geneva
Brazil maintains a permanent mission to the United Nations Office at GenevaUnited Nations Office at Geneva
The United Nations Office at Geneva is the second-largest of the four major office sites of the United Nations...
, headed by Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani Azevêdo. The delegation is responsible for representing Brazil at the agencies headquartered in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Rome
In RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Brazil maintains a delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
(FAO), led by Ambassador Antonino Marques Porto e Santos.
Paris
At the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
(UNESCO) headquarters in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the Permanent Delegation of Brazil is headed by Ambassador Marcia Donner Abreu. Brazil joined UNESCO in 1946, and has been a member of its Executive Board several times, most recently 2007-2009.
External links
- Official website of the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the UN
- Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil