Lula also raised the tone of his demands on the international community to make good on their commitments on issues such as climate change, combating hunger and ending international conflicts. (Image; PR/ Ricardo Stuckert)
In a tough speech at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly (ONH), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made a vehement demand on Tuesday for a reform in the institution's structure and described as unacceptable and “an echo of the colonial past” the exclusion of Africa and Latin America from permanent seats on the Security Council.
“I have no illusions about the complexity of a reform like this, which will face entrenched interests in maintaining the status quo. It will require a huge negotiation effort. But that is our responsibility. We cannot wait for another global tragedy, like the Second World War, to build a new global governance on its ruins,” he said.
The reform of world organizations such as the UN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank are central issues for the Brazilian presidency of the G20 and should be part of the final agreement of the summit, scheduled for November in Rio de Janeiro. The reform of the Security Council in particular is a historic demand of Brazil and countries such as Germany, India and Japan.
Among the Brazilian proposals, summarized by the president in his speech, are the reform of the Council with an increase in the number of permanent members and the end of the right to veto.
But Brazil also proposes giving the General Assembly more power in matters of security and peace, and strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission, which works to help countries after the end of conflicts.
In addition to security issues, the president also proposed transforming the Economic and Social Council into the main body for discussing climate change and sustainable development.
“We are reaching the end of the first quarter of the 21st century with the United Nations increasingly emptied and paralyzed. It is time to react vigorously to this situation, restoring to the Organization the prerogatives that derive from its status as a universal forum. Specific adjustments are not enough. We need to contemplate a broad review of the Charter,” said Lula, who was applauded for defending the reforms.
Charges
Lula also raised the tone of his demands on the international community to assume their commitments on issues of climate change, combating hunger and ending international conflicts.
In his opening remarks, he recalled the difficulty countries had in formalizing the Pact for the Future document, adopted the day before with 56 measures to try to solve problems such as hunger, conflicts and climate change. The document ended up being a letter of intent, as it is not binding, due to resistance from countries such as Russia, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
“The day before yesterday, here in this very plenary, we adopted the Pact for the Future. Its difficult approval demonstrates the weakening of our collective capacity for negotiation and dialogue,” criticized the president. “Its limited scope is also the expression of the paradox of our time: we go around in circles between possible compromises that lead to insufficient results.”
Lula spoke again about the immense global spending on defense and the conflicts in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, and also other less talked about conflicts, such as Sudan and Yemen.
He once again defended the six-point proposal for peace developed by Brazil and China, which is expected to be discussed at a meeting with 20 countries from the Global South next Friday in New York.
“In times of increasing polarization, expressions like ‘deglobalization’ have become commonplace. But it is impossible to ‘deplanetize’ our common life. We are condemned to the interdependence of climate change,” he said. “The planet is no longer waiting to demand payment from the next generation and is fed up with unfulfilled climate agreements. It is tired of neglected carbon emission reduction targets and of financial aid to poor countries that does not arrive.”
Amid the fires ravaging the country, Lula recalled the environmental disasters the country has experienced this year, but assured that Brazil will deal with the problems and does not intend to accept interference.
“My government will not outsource responsibilities or abdicate its sovereignty. We have already done a lot, but we know that more needs to be done. In addition to facing the challenge of the climate crisis, we are fighting against those who profit from environmental degradation. We will not compromise with environmental crimes, illegal mining or organized crime,” he said.
Brazil, by tradition, opens the United Nations General Assembly every year.