New York [US], September 20 (ANI): Portugal has announced it will officially recognise the State of Palestine on Sunday, just ahead of a major high-level conference on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Al Jazeera reported

According to Al Jazeera, citing a statement released on Friday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the move, stating, 'The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that Portugal will recognise the State of Palestine.'

The formal declaration is scheduled for September 21, a day before the international conference.

The decision follows consultations by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro with both the president and parliament.

According to Al Jazeera, citing a Portuguese newspaper, the decision concludes nearly 15 years of political debate since the proposal was first introduced in 2011 by the country's Left Bloc party.

Portugal now joins a growing list of countries, including Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom, that have recently announced their intention to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state.

The move also follows a recent UN inquiry that concluded Israel's military campaign in Gaza could amount to genocide, with more than 65,000 Palestinians reportedly killed and over 165,000 injured since October 2023.

Portugal had previously signalled its intentions in July, citing the deteriorating humanitarian situation, escalating violence, and Israel's continued threats to annex Palestinian territories as key factors influencing its stance, Al Jazeera reported.

Earlier on Friday, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that several other nations, including Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, San Marino, and Australia, also plan to recognise Palestine during Monday's UNGA meeting, which France is co-hosting with Saudi Arabia. Canada and the UK have made similar pledges, as reported by Al Jazeera.

As of April 2025, approximately 147 countries, about 75 per cent of UN member states, had already recognised the State of Palestine.

Portugal was also among 145 nations that voted in favour of allowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver a video address to the UNGA next week, after the US denied him a visa. India was among the 145 nations in favour.

The vote was opposed by only five countries: the US, Israel, Paraguay, Palau, and Nauru. Six countries abstained. (ANI)