Former Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva is scheduled to appear at the Jeju Forum 

on June 1, 2017.

Portugal’s former President and former Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who remains one 

of the huge contributors to European integration, will attend the Jeju Forum for Peace and 

Prosperity 2017 (hereafter the Jeju Forum) that will be held with the theme of “Sharing a 

Common Vision for Asia’s Future” at the International Convention Center Jeju from May 31 

to June 2, 2017.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva is expected to discuss ways of how to resolve the myriad problems facing 

the whole humanity at the World Leaders Session of the Jeju Forum that will take place at 

11:00 a.m. on the first day of June. Increasing attention is being paid to the message he 

would deliver in a time of accelerating deglobalization that is mainly characterized by the 

Britain’s exit from the European Union and excessive nationalism, given his strong belief that 

global cooperation will contribute to tackling the major global challenges of today and 

tomorrow.

Former Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who had exercised office as Prime Minister 

between 1985 and 1995, is one of the most ardent European ‘integrationists.’ In 1986, 

when he was in office as Prime Minister, Portugal joined the 12-nation European Community, 

the predecessor to the European Union (hereafter EU). It was under his insightful leadership 

as President of the Council of the European Community that the Maastricht Treaty was 

undertaken to create the European Union with the signature of twelve member states on 

February 7, 1992.

It is also well known that he has exerted powerful influence in balancing conflicting interests 

in the process of regional integration. He is well-reputed in the society of European political 

elites for his wise determination that has been made during the European Monetary System 

Crisis of 1992-1993 to guarantee the accession of the Portuguese escudo to the European 

Monetary System by creating the conditions for the inclusion of Portugal in the first group of 

countries which adopted the single European currency.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva has consistently insisted that ‘integration’ is one of the most valuable 

assets Europe has. He also urged Greece to work together with Europe when Greece’s exit 

from the euro seemed increasingly likely in 2015. 

Former Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva, who had held the post of Professor of 

Economics, exercised office as Prime Minister between 1985 and 1995. He retained the 

position for ten years, the longest tenure of any democratically elected prime minister in 

Portuguese history, and became the 19th President of the Portuguese Republic, elected by 

universal suffrage at the first round in 2006. He was the first President ever elected from the 

center-right coalition that belongs to the Social Democratic Party since the Portuguese 

revolution of 1974. In 2011, he came up with solutions to overcome the multifaceted crisis 

facing the Portuguese economy and society, and was re-elected as President in time of 

economic catastrophe.

He was the first Portuguese President who made an official state visit to Korea in 2014, 54 

years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Portugal and Korea in 1961. 

The heads of the two states have signed the memorandum of understanding for fostering 

cooperation in the fields of new and renewable energy and tourism during the summit 

meeting, followed by several exchange and cooperation projects, which include the holding 

of the South Korea-Portugal Joint Economic Committee and the opening of a branch in Seoul 

under the Portuguese trade and investment promotion corporation. 

Former Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva will make his first visit to Jeju. Jeju has set 

up a sisterhood relationship with Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago situated in the north 

Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Portugal in 2007. They have in common that they are granted 

the status as a special self-governing province, far away from the mainland. At the time of its 

establishment, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has consulted with several overseas 

provinces, including Madeira, which enjoy special autonomy pursuant to the constitution.