Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

I thank you warmly for your presence here and wish you all a Happy New Year. I ask everyone to convey to their Heads of State my sincere good wishes for a 2015 marked by peace and prosperity. I send my good wishes for a speedy recovery to His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio, who cannot be with us today.

Ambassadors,

If it is an easy gesture to discard the 2014 calendar, the same cannot be said for the complex combination of extremely worrying factors, impasses and some signs of hope that marked the past year. The resurgence of terrorism, threats to peace, instability in different regions, the geopolitical effects of the drop in oil prices, the Ebola virus epidemic, the plight of emigrants who come from Africa and the Middle East, seeking to reach Europe’s shores, and the continued martyrdom of civilian populations in conflict zones, are reasons for not hurrying to file away the events of the past year, and for reflecting on what we can do as political leaders or as representatives of our countries, so that 2015 will end with a more positive assessment.

2014 reminded us that the world is changing, that interdependence and the global nature of the challenges of our time are not mere rhetoric. The answers to the problems that we face together can only be achieved through dialogue, cooperation and, in some cases, the coordination of efforts: it is a demanding and tiring path, but it is the only one that allows us to find real solutions and not a mere reconfiguration of the problems. We have inherited, from this past year, several extremely serious situations and, with them, the responsibility to learn from past mistakes and to not give up searching for new possibilities for their resolution.

Throughout 2014, Portugal followed the crisis in Ukraine with great concern and actively participated in defining an answer, at both EU level and NATO level.

Furthermore, we have supported international efforts to combat the ISIS terrorist group. At stake is the defence of basic civilised values, which should mobilize all of us.

The terrorist attacks in Paris remind us that the fight against barbaric fanaticism concerns all democracies, and that the improvement and strengthening of European mechanisms for coordination in the security field, is urgent.

The people of France, major symbol of the value of freedom, who have welcomed many thousands of Portuguese citizens, have our full support.

Ambassadors,

In Portugal, as you will have observed, 2014 brought signs of hope. We complied with the obligations assumed in May 2011 with the international bodies, and concluded the Economic and Financial Assistance Programme, without additional help.

After three very difficult years, there has been a significant drop in unemployment; the economy is growing; the sovereign debt interest fell to values that are historic lows; and the external imbalance has been corrected. 2014 was a positive year in attracting investment and for growth in exports.

It was, therefore, an important year for Portugal. The country regained credibility and full access to financial markets.

The Portuguese economy has become more competitive, more sustainable and more integrated into the global economy.

We are proceeding with an ambitious reform agenda.

The consolidation of the signs of economic recovery, which was verified throughout the year, allows us to face 2015 with confidence, but still with caution. Major challenges remain to be overcome and the evolution of the global economy is marked by uncertainties.

These were - and continue to be – moments of major decisions for Europe also. If it is fair to point out that we are today facing some positive developments in the European economy, the truth is that a more significant recovery was expected and above all, one more visible in the day-to-day lives of its citizens.

It is essential for our reforms and fiscal consolidation to be accompanied by a European agenda more targeted for growth and employment, and that financing conditions comparable to those of their European counterparts, are offered to Portuguese companies, especially small and medium sized ones.

We support the Investment Plan presented by the European Commission, with the conviction that it will open up new opportunities in such key areas as trans-European transport, energy and digital infrastructures, but also in research and innovation, and supporting the business community. It is now urgent to put it into practice and to come to an agreement on its details, in order to ensure its effectiveness.

At the same time, it is crucial to develop the interconnected energy infrastructure for both electricity and natural gas, especially in the Iberian Peninsula, and to connect it to the rest of Europe. This is a top issue on the European agenda, with a view to achieving a true internal energy market. It is a matter of priority, which has gained increased relevance in the debate on the diversification of sources of supply in a Europe with strong energy dependence.

Ambassadors,

The year 2014 was marked by a political event that deserves to be emphasized, because of the consequences that it will have on the region and the world: the beginning of the process of restoring diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. I would like to take this opportunity to salute the American and Cuban politicians responsible for this bold step, but I also believe that we owe a word of gratitude to the diplomacy of the Holy See and the perseverance of His Holiness the Pope, whose action has been deservedly praised by believers and non-believers, in Portugal and worldwide.

Ambassadors,

In keeping with what I consider to be a national objective, I participated during the last year in various maritime initiatives. I travelled to San Francisco, where I participated in the closing ceremony of the "World Ocean Summit". This year's summit will be held in Portugal.

In October, the fifth edition of "BioMarine Business Convention" took place in Cascais. In connection with this, I welcomed His Highness the Prince of Monaco, who actively participated in it.

For Portugal, as well as many other countries, the maritime economy will be a key factor in economic and social development in the course of this 21st century. To discuss the future of modern maritime economies, the Portuguese Government will organize in Lisbon, during the first week of June 2015, a “Blue Week". I hope that your governments will participate at the highest level in this worldwide meeting about the sea.

As part of my foreign agenda, I had the opportunity, in the past year, to visit some of the countries represented here. It was a year of intense activity with regard to visits that I made and received. Bilateral instruments were signed that strengthened our relationship in different areas, and encouraged contacts and partnerships between entrepreneurs of our countries. I was able to establish that Portugal has attractive conditions and is competitive in different areas, attracting the interest of major foreign investors, and I was able to confirm the appetite and capacity for internationalisation of Portuguese companies.

The level of political, economic and business relations between Portugal and China received new impetus in the State Visit that I had the opportunity to carry out there. This year, we want to continue the reciprocal dynamics of interest in our respective markets and investment destinations.

Also with regard to Asia, and seeking to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with the countries of that region, I carried out what was the first official visit of a Portuguese Head of State to the Republic of Korea, reconciling the preservation of the memory of our centuries-old relationship, with our current interests.

I remember with great appreciation, my recent visit to the United Arab Emirates. In this case, it was also the first official visit of a Portuguese Head of State to that country, where records exist of a Portuguese presence since the fifteenth century. With a strong political significance, I intended, through this visit, to contribute to the new cycle in strengthening bilateral relations between Portugal and the countries of the Persian Gulf.

The American continent also deserved my attention. I was in San Francisco and Toronto, where I met with the Portuguese diaspora. In these travels, as in all the travels that I made abroad, I noticed with satisfaction the vitality of our communities, as well as their capacity to integrate in the countries where they live, a consequence – I am sure – of the welcome that your societies offer them. I discovered young entrepreneurs, researchers, international company employees, small and medium entrepreneurs from various sectors, pilots, health professionals and a number of other professions. The success of these Portuguese, recognized abroad, demonstrates the quality of their work and the excellence of their qualifications. The Portuguese diaspora projects the modern Portugal that you as ambassadors know so well: positive, innovative and entrepreneurial.

I travelled to Mexico last December to attend the 24th Ibero-American Summit. This year’s theme allowed a joint reflection on three fundamental aspects of Ibero-American cooperation: Education, Culture and Innovation. The process of renewal that has taken place, and that has the support of Portugal, will contribute, I believe, to strengthening the importance and dynamism of the Ibero-American Community.

Together with Brazil, with whom, for historical reasons, we have a unique relationship, we want to be an important partner for the other Latin American countries. It is also our desire that Latin America looks toward Portugal as an important ally in Europe.

The result of intense historical ties of friendship and cooperation, relations between Portugal and the Portuguese Speaking African countries understandably assume a special character. The past year was marked by several good examples of this intense cooperation.

It was with particular satisfaction that, in 2014, we were able to watch the rebirth of hope in Guinea-Bissau, with the return to constitutional order through the holding of free and democratic elections. The international community must match the remarkable effort of the new Guinean authorities, providing them the necessary support for the still fragile achievements of 2014 to be converted into solid steps for stability and development. Portugal will be in the first line of support for Guinea-Bissau.

I am sure, that Guinea-Bissau will also count on the support of Angola in the UN Security Council, where the Angolan presence is welcomed by all of us.

In June this year, Portugal will assume the presidency of the G19, the donor group providing programmatic budget support to Mozambique, country to which I travelled last week for the inauguration of President Filipe Nyusi. It will be another instance in which we will strive to strengthen the productive dialogue between development partners and the Mozambican authorities, with a view to the economic and social development of the country.

Ambassadors,

At the multilateral level, the year that ended was the year of Portugal's election to the Human Rights Council. In the speech I made, before you, in January 2014, I called on the support of your countries for our candidacy. Today, I would like to thank you for the vote of confidence given to us. We will seek to live up to the responsibilities that we now assume.

Continuing on the multilateral level, 2014 was the year in which, for the first time, the summit of the Community of Portuguese Language countries came to Asia, to the young state of Timor-Leste, and in which the organization expanded with the entry of Equatorial Guinea. The Dili Summit demonstrated the vitality of the CPLP and the interest that it raises from a growing number of states.

Allow me to also point out the Meeting of Heads of State of European countries that are part of Arraiolos Group, which was held in Braga, last September. During this meeting, we had the opportunity to address in particular three issues of great importance related to the current European context and agenda: energy, immigration and the role of research and innovation in promoting growth, competitiveness and job creation.

I cannot, of course, fail to mention visits to Portugal by the Heads of State of Mozambique, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Colombia, all testimony to a close bilateral relationship.

Ambassadors,

For Portugal, this will be a year of choices, a year of hope in the consolidation of economic recovery, and also a year of demanding challenges.

And the same applies to the global situation.

In 2015, the World will be confronted with important choices at many levels - and I hope that some prove to be obvious in the eyes of political leaders, such as the rejection of fundamentalism and its backing for acts of terrorism, or the recognition of the urgent need for concerted global action on climate change. In Europe, where we have a new Parliament, a new Commission, a new President of the European Council and a new High Representative for Foreign Policy, we must maintain a commitment to an ambitious, but also cohesive and supportive, European Union. In addition to advances in economic governance, the immediate future of the Union should be marked by action and a direction that will contribute to regain confidence and mobilize citizens for the European project.

It will be a year of many difficult challenges that will require from us - and particularly from you, the diplomats - perseverance, creativity and determination and an openness to dialogue and cooperation.

Thus, we have a responsibility to work together with the purpose and the hope that we can, in a year from now, look back on 2015 with satisfaction.

I conclude by reaffirming my sincere wishes for peace, health and prosperity for all in 2015.

Thank you very much.