Bridging divides from multilingualism to AI: Portugal’s vision for UN global outreach and communications
At the 2026 General Debate of the Committee on Information, Portugal underscored the central role of communication in reinforcing the legitimacy and effectiveness of the United Nations. Portugal highlighted the need for the UN to adapt to a rapidly evolving global communications landscape while maintaining strong ethical standards and human oversight, particularly in the use of artificial intelligence.
A key concern raised was the persistent digital divide, which continues to limit access to information in many developing countries. Portugal emphasized that bridging this gap must remain a priority, notably through strengthening national capacities and supporting UN Information Centres, which play a vital role in reaching national and local communities.
Portugal also stressed the importance of partnerships with academia, civil society, and the private sector to foster a more informed and engaged global public. Initiatives such as the United Nations Academic Impact and Model UN were highlighted as valuable tools to engage youth and promote participation in multilateral processes.
Multilingualism emerged as another central theme. As a member of the recently created Group of Friends of Multilingualism, Portugal reaffirmed its commitment to linguistic diversity within the UN. With over 300 million speakers worldwide, Portuguese was highlighted as a key global language, and further expansion of UN content in Portuguese was encouraged to ensure more equitable linguistic representation, including through UN News and the UN Information Centers.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Portugal framed communication as essential to connecting the organization with “We the Peoples”. In a context of financial constraints, it called for greater efficiency and strategic focus, while reiterating its commitment to a strong, inclusive, and future-oriented UN communications strategy: one that builds trust, counters misinformation, and brings the work of the UN closer to people around the world.
