Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was named the 2024 UNESCO – Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize winner on 16 October.
Created in 1989 to reward individuals who have worked for peace, the UNESCO-HB Peace Prize honours Costa’s efforts to promote international dialogue and multilateralism, both in Portugal and on the international stage.
The jury, chaired by Michel Camdessus, former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), praised “the constancy” with which António Costa has defended peace and promoted developing countries throughout his career.
“In a fragmented world facing immense challenges, we need committed leaders to build lasting peace,” said
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. As Prime Minister, António Costa not only helped to stabilise Portugal economically and socially, but he also provided significant support to developing countries, particularly Portuguese-speaking nations. Internationally, he played an active role in promoting South-South cooperation and was committed to human rights, including in discussions on managing migration crises.
“António Costa has always stood out as a great defender of dialogue and multilateralism,” Azoulay insisted.
This award is all the more significant as it marks a pivotal step in the career of the former lawyer turned statesman, who is now preparing to take the reins of the European Council. This distinction, whose history is deeply linked to the memory of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the first president of Côte d’Ivoire and a key figure in the struggle for peace in Africa, is part of a well-established tradition of recognising peacebuilders.
António Costa thus joins figures such as Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel and Jimmy Carter, who have previously
been recognised for their efforts in favour of peace.
Earlier this month, the designation of President Alassane Ouattara, as “Protector” of the UNESCO – Felix Houphouet-Boigny Prize brings a new dimension to this distinction. He succeeds the late Henri Konan Bedie in this role.
The Ivorian head of state, who played a decisive role in national reconciliation after the post-election crisis of 2011, is also resolutely committed to peace in West Africa, a region marked by instability. This role as Protector gives Ouattara an important responsibility, not only at the national level, but also on the world stage.
Since his arrival as president in 2011, Ouattara has made national reconciliation and regional stability his priorities, through political and economic reforms. Today, Côte d’Ivoire is often cited as a model in a region plagued by growing security crises, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
