President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to speak on Tuesday (24) about the fight against hunger and the climate crisis in the opening speech of the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations, which will take place in New York, United States, and which annually brings together 193 heads of state and government from around the world.
The forecast was given by the Secretary of Multilateral Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), Ambassador Carlos Márcio Cozendey, in a press conference, this Tuesday (17), in Brasília. The diplomat explained which will be the priority themes of the Brazilian government that should be present in the speech that is still being prepared. “We can expect that they [temas] follow a little of the agenda that Brazil proposed for the G20, that is, talk about inclusion, fighting hunger, energy transition and reform of global governance”.
The theme proposed by the President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Philemon Yang of Cameroon, for this year is: “Unity in diversity for the promotion of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for all, everywhere.” The Brazilian president will speak after speeches by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the UN General Assembly.
Regarding the fires and extreme events that have occurred in Brazil, Cozendey said that the Brazilian government must take to the international stage the need to act quickly. “What we are seeing in Brazil is very closely related to extreme climate events, whether it is an exceptional drought that is, in a certain way, related to the transformations that have been taking place.”
President Lula will arrive in the United States on Saturday (21) and is expected to return to Brazil on Wednesday (25). In addition to the UN General Assembly, the Brazilian president will participate in meetings with heads of state and interest groups in Brazil.
Pact for the Future
On Sunday morning (22), Lula will participate in the opening of the Future Summit. He will be the second to speak at the two-day meeting, which will bring together world leaders to discuss ways to face emerging security crises, accelerate the fulfillment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address the threats and opportunities of digital technologies.
As a result, the Future Summit should produce the Compact for the Future document, negotiated among member states to strengthen global cooperation and establish commitments to better adapt to current challenges, for the future of renewed and effective multilateralism, for the benefit of future generations.
“The Compact for the Future includes themes such as sustainable development, international peace and security, science, technology and digital cooperation, youth and future generations, and global governance reform,” Cozendey said.
Democracy and extremism
President Lula will also co-chair, together with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, a roundtable on democracy and extremism. The event will aim to discuss ways to advance democratic principles, protect institutions in order to guarantee free elections, the rule of law and individual freedoms, while ensuring sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
According to the MRE ambassador, the countries invited by the two presidents will discuss issues such as the impacts that disinformation has generated on democratic processes.
G20
For the first time, a G20 meeting will take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, with participation open to all UN members. In 2024, the group composed of the 19 most developed countries in the world and two regional bodies, the African Union and the European Union, will be under the rotating presidency of Brazil.
President Lula will deliver the opening speech at the second G20 ministerial meeting of foreign ministers, with the aim of addressing the need to reform global governance within the United Nations by 2030, the deadline for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lula is also expected to address the financial architecture and the organization of high-level trade.
Ambassador Carlos Márcio Cozendey said that Brazil will also present the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Povertylaunched in Brazil in July.
Ukraine and Russia
Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, on the 27th, Brazilian diplomatic representatives must disclose to other countries the proposal developed jointly with China and signed by the Special Advisor to the Presidency of the Republic, Celso Amorim, in the first half of this year, in Beijing.
“It is a document addressed to countries that are interested in cooperating,” said the Secretary of Multilateral Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Other meetings
To date, President Lula has confirmed meetings with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and with the President of the General Assembly. On the 23rd, on the sidelines of the UN general debate, the President of Brazil is expected to participate in bilateral meetings with member countries of the United Nations.
The agenda for these meetings has not yet been finalized. Lula is also expected to participate in meetings of groups of which Brazil is a member, such as the BRICS – formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa; the India, Brazil and South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA); the G77, a bloc formed by developing countries, and the Contact Group of Foreign Ministers of South America.
According to the Itamaraty, there are currently no plans for President Lula to address the Venezuelan crisis and the political-electoral process in the neighboring country during his visit to New York.
