ABSTRACT
This chapter takes a closer look at the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), a unique organisation forming a virtual region that spans parts of four continents and brings together a diverse membership from the Global North and Global South. Although often considered ‘dysfunctional’ in the literature, the chapter analyses the activities and functioning of the CPLP, provides important insights about regional organisations more generally, pointing to some of the less obvious logics and dynamics structuring cooperation in the field of peace and security. Most importantly, although a minor player in the field of regional organisations, the CPLP has nevertheless acted as a central reference point and a platform that serves to facilitate connections and exchanges among member states. Organised mostly around a series of meetings, conferences, and joint exercises, CPLP security cooperation does not require extensive financial resources but facilitates building and maintaining personal relationships, exchanging information, and coordinating positions and activities.
