'NATO is still essential to ensure peace and security in a wide area' Portugal hosted in Lisbon the Atlantic Alliance’s 67th Annual Parliamentary Assembly

The Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa claimed that "NATO is still essential to ensure peace and security in a wide area that includes 30 countries already, in which most of the prosperity, technological development, and experience of democratic values on a global scale are focused".

António Costa gave a speech at the 67th NATO Annual Parliamentary Assembly, which was held in Lisbon. The representatives of all the allied countries' parliaments met to discuss the future of the Atlantic Alliance.

"As founder and committed member of NATO, it was an honour for Portugal to host the Annual Parliamentary Assembly here in Lisbon over these last few days, a city that is always cast on the Atlantic" the Prime Minister said, congratulating all those who took part for the "important discussions during these last few days" and their "contribution to promoting the fundamental democratic values at the heart of the Atlantic Alliance".

"When we bring together representatives from all of the Allies' national parliaments, as well as from countries that seek to be closer to us, the Parliamentary Assembly not only increases public participation in areas that are relevant to our collective security, it also contributes to strengthening parliamentary democracy in the entire Euro-Atlantic region", he said.

«NATO is permanently evolving and adapting"

The Prime Minister also said that "NATO is permanently evolving and adapting" and that this is "one of the secrets of its success as a political and military alliance", and that "the Allies can only respond to this adaptation process in a shifting international environment if they know how to maintain the rule of solidarity and mutual consultation and don't give in to crises of confidence and trust".

António Costa said that "NATO will remain increasingly relevant in a complex scenario set by a global geostrategic reconfiguration whose outline and consequences aren't yet fully defined".

The attention that "NATO has been giving to the threats stemming from global challenges, such as climate change and the use of new technologies to cause harm by state and non-state agents" was another aspect highlighted by António Costa.

Portugal at the centre of the Euro-Atlantic space

The Prime Minister also recalled that "Portugal is at the centre of the Euro-Atlantic space and that NATO has brought more than seven decades of peace". A centrality that, as he said, is reinforced "by the geostrategic importance of the Azores to project the Alliance's military power and bringing the two sides of the Atlantic closer at a political and social level".

"Firmly grounded on the European continent, yet turned towards the Atlantic, Portugal sees strengthening the cooperation between NATO and the EU as the best way to jointly face up to common challenges", he added.