Lisbon

12 May 2016

Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Augusto Santos Silva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal

Ban Ki-Moon, Former Secretary-General

The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Augusto Santos Silva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal.

The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister discussed the current political situation in Guinea-Bissau, as well as Mozambique and Brazil. 

The Secretary-General recognized Portugal’s prominent and long-standing role in the advancement of the law of the sea and of ocean governance. He also thanked the Foreign Minister for the support provided to UN peacekeeping operations in Mali and Central African Republic.

The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Portugal’s compassionate and positive response to the arrivals of refugees and migrants in Europe and gave an update on the efforts of the United Nations to reach a political solution in Syria.  He underscored the need for solidarity and responsibility sharing at the global level as well as the importance of the upcoming World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May and the High-level Plenary of the General Assembly on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants in New York in September.