As part of a strategy to strengthen external
projection and the defence of national strategic interests, the Ministry for
Home Affairs (MHA) continues to be present in the world at various latitudes
and at various levels by:
- The deployment of the Security Forces in United
Nations peacekeeping missions and in civilian crisis management missions under
the European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy;
- The deployment of its personnel in various
organisational units of FRONTEX (with the most varied functions) and active
participation in the agency's operations;
- The secondment of experts to key posts in the United
Nations, in the European Union and in other international organisations
carrying out projects and missions on all continents;
- Presence in
support and response missions carried out within the framework of the Civil
Protection Mechanism for disaster situations coordinated by the National
Emergency and Civil Protection Authority,
- Promoting Technical-Police Cooperation and Civil
Protection projects in the Portuguese Speaking African Countries (Países
Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa – PALOP) countries and East Timor;
- Ensuring the security of certain posts in the Portuguese
diplomatic network;
- A network of MHA Liaison Officers spread across
PALOP countries, East Timor, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, France, Portugal
Permanent Representation in European Union (REPER) and EUROPOL (link:
https://www.sg.mai.gov.pt/InternationalRelations/MHALiaisonOfficers/Paginas/default.aspx
).
In 2024, MHA deployed a total of 597 personnel (GNR,
PSP, ANEPC, SGMAI) and it was present in 56 countries.
In presence of MHA Security Forces was significant
on the European continent (EU civilian CSDP missions and FRONTEX) and relevant
in Africa (United Nations missions). The continuation of the war in ukraine
resulted in additional national reinforcement in CSDP missions, but also in
FRONTEX, to help control the EU's eastern borders, support refugee flows and
combat organised crime. At the same time, the lack of definition in the
Israel-Hamas conflict has resulted in a stronger national presence in EUPOL COPPS
mission, where MHA has deployed a GNR Officer (as Ministerial Strategic and
Policy Senior Police Adviser) and two PSP Officers (as Senior Police
Adviser and Police Adviser).
MHA Technical-Police Cooperation and Civil
Protection Programme
Under
Technical-Police and Civil Protection Cooperation Programme (Programa de
Cooperação Técnico-policial e Proteção Civil - PCTPPC) with PALOP countries and
East Timor, MHA personnel (from GNR, PSP and ANEPC) were deployed to provide
various training courses to strengthen technical, police and civil protection
skills for trainees in their countries of origin.
The
training sessions covered a range of subjects, including Command and
Leadership; Environmental Protection and Border Control; Strategic Operational
Planning; Explosive Device Detection and Inactivation; Criminal Investigation;
Critical Infrastructure Protection; Infrastructure Security, Protection and
Resilience; Urban Fires and Tactical Command and Rescue Operations.
These
training programmes continue to help strengthen bilateral cooperation between
Portugal and these partner countries in different areas.
MHA
in the European Union
GNR
deployed around 58% of the total number of personnel and was the MHA Security
Force that deployed the most female personnel, with the PSP increasing the
number of personnel deployed (from 69 in 2023 up to 93 in 2024).
Europe
was once again the main destination for the MHA commitment to EU missions,
agencies and institutions, having increased its presence to 26 countries (4
more than in the same period in 2023) and authorised the deployment of
personnel to new destinations, namely Spain, Bulgaria, Mauritania and Moldova
(compared to the same period in 2023).
The
MHA committed 37 personnel to the European Agency responsible for strengthening
police cooperation (EUROPOL) and seconded 11 experts to the European External
Action Service and other 6 to the European Commission services.
MHA
increased its presence in the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine (from 4
up to 10), which was helped by the deployment of GNR personnel as part of the
Specialised Teams for the EUAM Ukraine under the aegis of EUROGENDFOR. MHA also
deployed personnel on 10 other CSDP missions in the Central African Republic,
Mali, Somalia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Armenia, Mozambique, Georgia,
Moldova and Palestine.
In
addition to these, there were Civil Protection missions, in which the ANEPC
took the coordinating role within the framework of the European Union's Civil
Protection Mechanism, deploying national elements to Chile and Spain.
MAI
participation in FRONTEX
In
2024, MHA deployed military and police personnel on numerous FRONTEX missions:
Joint Operation (JO) INDALO (41 personnel), JO POSEIDON SEA (30), JO TERRA (11)
and JO MINERVA (10). Maritime operations accounted for 85% of national
personnel working for the agency, where MHA was represented by 169 personnel.
MHA presence was centred on Spain, Poland and Greece.
MHA in United Nations
At
the United Nations, MHA continued to contribute to global security and
stability, being present in 13 countries (3 more than in 2023) and on 4
continents, where PSP took on the role of guarantor by deploying the vast
majority of MHA officers (with 38 police Officers). The missions on the African
continent (Central African Republic and South Sudan) were the main destination
for the MHA Officers deployed within the framework of the United Nations.
In
2024, the deployment of MHA personnel in the civilian mission in Iraq began and
there was a significant effort to increase the presence in UNODC.
What
do we do?
SGMAI
coordinates and monitors the participation and promotes the reinforcement of
the presence of MHA personnel in the most varied missions and in various
theatres of operations and in the agencies, departments and institutions of the
European Union and the United Nations, the collaboration with EUROPOL and
FRONTEX. It coordinates also PCTPPC cooperation actions.
It
will continue to support national applications that promote the deployment of MHA
elements in international missions and bodies.