President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva asked the United States to contribute to the Amazon Fund, which finances sustainability projects with resources from rich countries. In a press conference after meeting with US President Joe Biden, Lula said he had received the promise of the country’s entry into the fund.
“I felt very keen [de Biden]. What I can say is that he will participate in the Amazon fund”, declared Lula. According to the Brazilian president, the United States is convinced of the need for rich nations to finance undertakings in forest areas in developing countries in order to preserve the environment.
“It is necessary to transform the richness of our diversity into something that can be of benefit to the Brazilian people who live in the Amazon”, he commented.
The Brazilian president said he proposed a neutral group to Biden to negotiate a possible peace agreement for the war between Russia and Ukraine. Lula informed that he has already presented the suggestion to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and to the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who was in Brasília last week.
According to Lula, the work would begin by negotiating a ceasefire or an armistice. “The first thing [do grupo] is to end the war. Then, negotiate whatever happens in the future,” he said. “I am convinced that a way must be found to put an end to this war. And I felt the same concern from President Biden, because nobody wants this war to continue. It needs to have partners capable of building a group of negotiators that both sides believe in”.
Regarding the expansion of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, Lula said he took the suggestion, historically defended by Brazilian diplomacy, to Biden. The Brazilian leader said that the idea was well received by the US president.
“I asked that other countries be able to participate in the Security Council so that some decisions related to climate change are taken at an international level. I felt a lot of willingness from the American president to contribute to this”, commented Lula.
With the United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia as permanent members, the UN Security Council grants the UN’s endorsement of wars. A further ten countries have rotating seats, with any of the five countries with permanent seats having veto power.
Regarding the resumption of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Africa, Lula announced that he intends to travel to three countries on the continent: Angola, South Africa and Mozambique.
