In a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa "greets the former prime minister and president-elect of the European Council, António Costa, for the distinction that constitutes the award of the UNESCO Peace Prize Félix Houphouët-Boigny."

"It is an honour for Portugal to see yet another such a qualified compatriot be recognised internationally for his significant contribution to the promotion of peace and the fulfilment of the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)", adds the head of state.

UNESCO, the United Nations agency that promotes peace and security through international cooperation in education, art, science and culture, based in Paris, announced the granting of this award to António Costa, for his "extraordinary commitment to peace and with developing countries".

"We decided to award this award to Prime Minister António Luís Santos da Costa, for his life's work and for the consistency with which he maintained, in his role as political leader, a commitment to peace and the promotion of developing countries," he declared Michel Camdessus, vice-president of the jury and former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In turn, Audrey Azoulay, director general of UNESCO, said: "In a fragmented world, which faces immense challenges, we need leaders committed to building lasting peace. I am delighted that the jury chose António Luís Santos da Costa, who has always distinguished himself as a great defender of dialogue and multilateralism."

This award, given in the past to Nelson Mandela and Frederik De Klerk, Jimmy Carter and Angela Merkel, among others, aims to distinguish individuals or organizations with a significant contribution to the promotion, pursuit, safeguarding and maintenance of peace, in accordance with the Charter of Nations United States and the UNESCO Constitution.

Members of the jury for the 2024 edition were Colombian writer, journalist and diplomat Santiago Gamboa-Samper, Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who is a goodwill ambassador for the Organization of Nations United Nations for Food and Agriculture (FAO), Saudi biotechnology researcher Hayat Cindi, who is a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO, and American Forest Whitaker, actor, producer, director and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations.