The Ministry of Home Affairs has played an important role in the national purpose of contributing to the maintenance of security in the world, with the participation of the Security Forces and Services, which participated for the first time, in 2002 international peacekeeping missions with the deployment of police forces in Bosnia and Serbia.
The traditional concept of a peace mission, which aimed primarily at securing the protection of populations and assisting humanitarian support, has given rise to more complex and multifaceted mandates that increasingly require clear and workable objectives with matching capabilities and resources. The response to public order problems also included the civilian dimension of crisis management operations and the contribution to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups as well as support to the security sector, which are today the most valued aspects in the commitment of police capacities to the service of peacekeeping and civilian crisis management.
Portugal's participation in international missions has as its guiding principles the international commitments assumed by the Portuguese State that bind us to contribute to world peace and security, and this contribution is also very significant for the credibility of the Portuguese foreign policy and for the visibility and status of the Portuguese State within International Institutions.
Thus, the involvement of MHA Security Forces and Services in International Missions takes into account political orientations, national objectives, strategic priorities in the area of security and defence, and the evolution of the security and humanitarian situation in the various countries or regions that make up the international system.
The International Relations Department of General Secretariat is responsible for coordinating the participation of the MHA Security Forces and Services in international peace missions, seeking a strategy that contributes to the effective deployment of national contingents and police forces in peacekeeping missions and civilian crisis management. Thereby, through this coordination and the monitoring of the participation of the Security Forces and Services of the MHA, it is also sought to strengthen the influence and external visibility of the country.