Lula stated that it is essential to reform the world economy and financial institutions. "Poor and developing countries must increase their share of control in the IMF and the World Bank. Otherwise, there can be no real change and the peril of new and greater crises will be inevitable."
He also said that even 12 months after the onset of the international financial crisis, most of the underlying issues have not been addressed.
"There is enormous resistance against the adoption of mechanisms to regulate financial markets."
He added that there are signs of return to protectionist practices, and that little has been done to fight tax havens. He underscored the fact that Brazil was the first country to exit the crisis.
The need of reforming the UN Security Council, with the inclusion of new members, was also mentioned by president Lula. "The United Nations and its Security Council can no longer be run under the same structures imposed after the Second World War." Brazil favors the reform of the Council and claims a permanent seat.
Lula spoke for the strengthening of the UN, so that it may address conflicts such as those underway in the Middle East, between Palestinians and Israelis, provide effective aid to Haiti, and commit to the African renaissance.
Without mentioning the United States, president Lula asserted that without political will, throwbacks like the embargo against Cuba will persist. He also spoke against the toppling of the president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, and called for him to be returned to power. Zelaya is sheltered since Monday at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Regarding the environment, Lula criticized the reluctance of developed countries to shoulder their share of the burden when it comes to fighting climate change. "They cannot burden developing countries with tasks which are theirs alone." He demanded that stricter goals for reducing pollutant gas emissions be imposed on developed countries.
According to Lula, Brazil is doing its part in the environmental area, and mentioned that in 2009, the country boasts the lowest deforestation rate in 20 years, and that Brazilian energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world. He also talked about ethanol production, stating that sugarcane farming covers no more than 2% of the country's farmable land, and does not pose a threat to the Brazilian food security and environmental balance.
The subsalt oil was also cited by Lula. He claimed that Brazil will be put in the "forefront of fossil fuel production," but that the country will not relinquish the environmental agenda, and that it will seek to consolidate its role as "a world power in green energy."
Traditionally, it is the Brazilian president who makes the opening address of the UN General Assembly, which brings together the heads of 192 countries. The United States president, Barack Obama, who attended the UN meeting for the first time, spoke right after Lula.
<img src="/images/stories/2009/sep09/lula_at_un.jpg" border="2" alt="Lula at UN" hspace="3" vspace="3" width="90" height="90" align="left" />
Lula speaks again for reform of multilateral organizations
Lula, UN, general assembly, IMF, World Bank
Yara Aquino
Brazilian President Calls for More Power for the Poor at UN's Opening Session
The Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September 23 with an address centered around the world financial crisis, on the need to reform institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to build a new international order, and to deal with climate change.
Lula stated that it is essential to reform the world economy and financial institutions. "Poor and developing countries must increase their share of control in the IMF and the World Bank. Otherwise, there can be no real change and the peril of new and greater crises will be inevitable."
He also said that even 12 months after the onset of the international financial crisis, most of the underlying issues have not been addressed.
"There is enormous resistance against the adoption of mechanisms to regulate financial markets."
He added that there are signs of return to protectionist practices, and that little has been done to fight tax havens. He underscored the fact that Brazil was the first country to exit the crisis.
The need of reforming the UN Security Council, with the inclusion of new members, was also mentioned by president Lula. "The United Nations and its Security Council can no longer be run under the same structures imposed after the Second World War." Brazil favors the reform of the Council and claims a permanent seat.
Lula spoke for the strengthening of the UN, so that it may address conflicts such as those underway in the Middle East, between Palestinians and Israelis, provide effective aid to Haiti, and commit to the African renaissance.
Without mentioning the United States, president Lula asserted that without political will, throwbacks like the embargo against Cuba will persist. He also spoke against the toppling of the president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, and called for him to be returned to power. Zelaya is sheltered since Monday at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.
Regarding the environment, Lula criticized the reluctance of developed countries to shoulder their share of the burden when it comes to fighting climate change. "They cannot burden developing countries with tasks which are theirs alone." He demanded that stricter goals for reducing pollutant gas emissions be imposed on developed countries.
According to Lula, Brazil is doing its part in the environmental area, and mentioned that in 2009, the country boasts the lowest deforestation rate in 20 years, and that Brazilian energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world. He also talked about ethanol production, stating that sugarcane farming covers no more than 2% of the country's farmable land, and does not pose a threat to the Brazilian food security and environmental balance.
The subsalt oil was also cited by Lula. He claimed that Brazil will be put in the "forefront of fossil fuel production," but that the country will not relinquish the environmental agenda, and that it will seek to consolidate its role as "a world power in green energy."
Traditionally, it is the Brazilian president who makes the opening address of the UN General Assembly, which brings together the heads of 192 countries. The United States president, Barack Obama, who attended the UN meeting for the first time, spoke right after Lula.
ABr