Interview with Brazil’s Ambassador to the UN, Mauro Vieira

Brazil’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mauro Vieira, spoke with ONU News about the country’s priorities in 2018 within the organization. Mauro Vieira also discussed Brazil’s rotating presidency in the CPLP, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, and the conclusion of the UN Mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, which was commanded by a Brazilian general during its 14 years of existence. He spoke with the head of ONU News Portuguese, Monica Grayley.ONU News: Ambassador, our first question is about Brazil’s priorities in this cooperation with the UN for 2018.
Mauro Vieira: Brazil has a strong interest in being present and having an intense role at the UN. In 2018, the first major initiative is the Global Compact on Migration, which will be negotiated in the first half of the year and then approved at a major conference in Morocco, to be held in Marrakech. This is undoubtedly a major priority. But Brazil also has several other opportunities. Brazil has an active role in the Commission on the Status of Women, the CSW, where Brazil will continue to engage as it has in the past, having even presided over the Commission until March of last year. We will continue to be active, although no longer in the Presidency. This year, we have a special focus on the situation of rural women or women in the field, so we will continue to work in this area. Another area of great interest is the reforms proposed by the Secretary-General, António Guterres. The reform of the three pillars is very important for Brazil. The reform in the area of development, peace and security, human rights, and also in the administrative area.ONU: It has been 25 years of debate, as you mentioned, what is missing for this debate to advance?
MV: It is a very complex issue. The reform of the Council is not a simple topic; if it were, it would have already occurred. I think the important thing is to raise awareness among all member states of the need to reform the main organ of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security. And I think that, like any profound change, it needs time to mature. I believe we have reached that moment because, according to surveys conducted by various interest groups in the reform, 164 countries have already expressed the need for urgent reform of the Security Council.ONU: Ambassador, let’s continue on the topic of security, which is important for the United Nations and for Brazil, as you have already mentioned. The country led MINUSTAH, the United Nations operation in Haiti, for 13 years, with a Brazilian general as the head of the forces. The question now is whether the country will take on another mission, whether Brazil will assume a leadership role, an important role in any UN peace operation in the near future?
MV: Brazil has effectively been at the forefront of MINUSTAH, the Mission in Haiti, for more than 13 years, almost 14, with a large number of troops. In total, with the regular rotation of troops, we had something like 40,000 men in Haiti, always under the command of a Brazilian general, and we take great pride in the performance of the Brazilian forces and the command during that period. I believe it is a position of the entire Brazilian Government and society that it was an important contribution to the stabilization and reconstruction of a country so close to Brazil. In fact, Brazil has a tradition of participation in peace operations since 1956. We have participated in many, and we have military and police in many operations. We have been in East Timor, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we are present in almost all, or nearly all, with larger or smaller contingents, but we are present, and we have a strong interest in these operations. Now, with the operation in Haiti concluded, the Brazilian authorities involved, the Ministries concerned are analyzing future possibilities offered by the United Nations. They will have to be submitted for approval by the President of the Republic, and then a message will be sent to Congress for the National Congress to authorize the deployment and unfolding of Brazilian troops. But this is still a topic under study.