AllowmetopointoutthatthisyearPortugal celebrates thethirtiethcelebrating notonlythecreation oftheUnitedNations 40yearsagobutalsothedelegation toasession oftheGeneral Assembly, especially thisyear,whenweareItisarealhonourformetoleadforthethirdtimethePortuguese anniversary ofitsadmission asaMemberofthisorganization. Thisisnotthe rightplaceortherighttimeforafullanalysis andassessment ofthe participation ofmycountryintheactivities oftheunitedNations duringthis period. Itwasonlyin1974,withtheestablishment ofdemocracy inPortugal, that wesetasidethebackward customoftakingrefugeinconc.-epts andprinciples that wereclearly contradictory tothoseenshrined intheCharter. Onlythendidweput anendtoourdiplomatic isolation andbegintodemonstrate byouractions a constant concern forrespect forthebasicprinciples setforthintheCharter, whicharethemoralandlegalfoundations ofthisOrganization. Weattach particular importance torecognition oftherightofpeoples toself-determination, respect forhumanrightsand,lastly, respect forandpromotion oftheapplication oftheprinciple oftheprevention oftheuseOIthethreatofuseofforceinthe settlement ofinternational conflicts.* l~.Guissou (Burkina Faso),Vice-President, tooktheChair.Community on1January next. tocontact withothercivilizations, isacountry whosegeography, history and(Mr.Gama,Portugal)A/40jl»V.5 69 Withaspecial roletoplayintheNorth-South dialogue, portugal willtheLomeIXIConvention inthefieldofco-operation withAfrican countries.example, theadvantages whichcanaccrue fromtherightuseoftheprovisions oflinkintherelatiohships withthoseregions oftheworld. MayIjustmention, fortheCOrllllunities, mycountry willbecomeintheshortter.manincreasingly importantandLatinAmerican countries. Inthelightofthispledge, withintheframework oflawenshrined intheCharter ofthisOrganizati<Xl. Thusweshallcontribute tothe evolving international scene. Portugal willbefullyopentopromoting, !deningWearefUllyconvinced thattheseactions andmotivati<Xls, which,furthermore, European integration isaprtmary national project whichhasprogressively won andLatinAmerica. Wemayperhaps helptopavetheway fo~anewbreakthrough,certainly helptobringaboutgreater sensitivity onthepartofotherMemberthefirmandsustained supportoftheimmense majority ofallportuguese political statesintheinterest ofthepromo~ion andfostering ofco-operation withAfricaculture remainbasically European. Through itsmembership intheEur~an Economicsectors. Underlying thisconsensus hasalwaysbeenthepremise thatPortugal, open andstrengthening dialogue withotherregions oftheworld,namely, withAfricanenlargeuent oftheC~mmunity, asaregional andespecially dynamic body,carrying outathorough searchfornewformsofdevelopment andadaptation totheconstantlyreflect theprinciples established intheconstitutional !awof mycountry, willbe expanded andstrengthened withPortugal's accession totheEuropean Economic pioneer andisstillamajorstronghold ofthebasicprinciples ofinternationalCOlIlnunity, Portugal isincorporating itselfintoaregionthathasoftenbeenaMLG/ed-------- .._~-~-------_._------ MLG/ed 'A/40;.pV.S70 (Mt 0_Gaaa,Portugal) wbilepUticipating inthl'!achieveJleOt ofthelong-desired newbalance fespecially inthemoresensitive hotbeds ofinternational tension, thusestablishing the necessary conditions forpeaceanddevelopment. Concerned asitisabouttheNortlrSouth dialogUe, lilycountry cannotbuteall theattention ofitsEuropean partners tothemeaning andimportance ofthe (.ooncepts thathaveinspired theMovement ofNon-Align4.ld Countries.A/40/PV.5 7li Afewdaysago1hadtheopportunity ofparticipating, asa-guest-, ina meetingofMinisters oftheMovement heldinLuanda, ameetingthatwasaclear example of.what Ihavejustdescribed. Theconflicts andtensions thathavebesettheinternational community inour day,particularly thestriking lackofprogress intheachievement ofbarmonious relationships between thenorthern andsouthern hemispheres, haveseriously impaired thesecia-economic situation ofthedeveloping countries. Atpresent, inspiteoftheslightimprovement inafewindustrialized economies, theimpact o~theworldrecession oftheearly1980sstillafflicts many ofthethird-world countries. Wec~nseewithgreatconcern anddistress that,in spiteofitsendeavours, theworldstillhasaverylongwaytogobeforeWinning thebattleagainst p:.JVerty. Themostserious consequences ofthissituation canbefoundinAfrica, where ~~egreatmajority ofcountries, particularly southoftheSahara, arefacing extremely acuteeconomic problems, whic~havebeenexacerbated bycontinuing d~ought anddesertification thathavebeenworsening everyyear.Thesituation prevailing inAfricahasbrought aboutagreater awareness oftheinternational communitYJ thathasbeenteflected ininitiatives takeninallpartsoftheworld, aimedatalleviating themoredramatic aspects ofthatsuffering. ~Government stresses onthisoccasion ourappreciation oftheefforts carried outby~'e Secretary-General withintheframework oftheUnitedNations tomobilize theMeJtber
**Analysis**
The text discusses Portugal's participation in the United Nations, highlighting its commitment to promoting international cooperation, respect for human rights, and the prevention of the use of force in international conflicts. The country's role in the North-South dialogue and its efforts to promote economic development, particularly in Africa, are also emphasized. The text does not focus on a specific sector, but rather on the country's overall approach to international relations and development.

**Category**
International relations, Economic development