The Brazilian president opened the debate of heads of state in NY
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday (Sep. 24) that, in their quest to solve the planet’s problems, world leaders go around in circles and have inefficient results. Opening the debate of heads of state at the 79th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, he mentioned the Pact for the Future, a document adopted by countries to strengthen global cooperation.
“Its difficult approval demonstrates the weakening of our collective capacity for negotiation and dialogue. Its limited scope is also an expression of the paradox of our time: We go around in circles between possible compromises that lead to insufficient results,” he argued.
“Not even with the COVID-19 tragedy have we been able to come together around a Pandemic Treaty at the World Health Organization. We need to go much further and provide the UN with the necessary means to face the dizzying changes in the international landscape,” the president added.
In his view, the global governance crisis requires structural changes, and this mission falls under the responsibility of the General Assembly, “the greatest expression of multilateralism.” On the verge of its 80th anniversary, the United Nations Charter has never undergone a comprehensive reform, the Latin American leader said. When the UN was founded, there were 51 countries; today there are 193.
“The current version of the charter does not address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges,” he said, “with the potential to become generalized confrontations,” citing the various armed conflicts in the world.
According to the president, at the time the UN was founded, several nations, mainly on the African continent, were under colonial rule and “had no say in its objectives and how it operates.” Furthermore, he remarked, there is no gender balance in the exercise of the highest functions, and the position of secretary-general has never been held by a woman.
“We are coming to the end of the first quarter of the 21st century with the United Nations increasingly depleted and paralyzed. One-off adjustments are not enough; we need to consider a wide-ranging revision of the charter,” he claimed.
Brazil proposes transforming the Economic and Social Council into the main forum for dealing with sustainable development and combating climate change, with real capacity to inspire the financial institutions; revitalizing the role of the General Assembly, including on issues of international peace and security; strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission; and reforming the Security Council, with a focus on its composition, working methods, and the right of veto, in order to make it more effective and representative of contemporary realities.
To President Lula’s judgment, a reform of the UN Security Council is urgent, and should include the adequate representation of emerging countries. As it stands today, this council, which has the power to make major decisions on international conflicts, has only the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK as permanent members. Under the rules, for a resolution to be approved, it needs the support of nine of the total 15 members, and none of the permanent members can veto the text.
“The exclusion of Latin America and Africa from permanent seats on the Security Council is an unacceptable echo of practices of domination from the colonial past,” the Brazilian president declared.
“I have no illusions about the complexity of a reform like this, which will confront crystallized interests in maintaining the status quo. It will require an enormous effort to negotiate, but that is our responsibility. We cannot wait for another world tragedy—like World War II—before building a new global governance on its rubble. The will of the majority can persuade those who cling to the crude expressions of the mechanisms of power,” he added.
President Lula’s speech at the UN reflects Brazil’s priority themes at the G20: fighting inequality and hunger, tackling climate change, and reforming the institutions of global governance. Until November this year, the country will hold the presidency of the bloc that brings together 19 countries and two regional entities—the European Union and the African Union.
General debate
The UN General Assembly is one of the main bodies of the UN and gathers together the 193 states that are part of the organization. This year, the theme of the assembly’s general debate is “Leaving no one behind: working together to advance peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.” In this working session, the heads of member states are invited to speak and describe their visions and concerns about the multilateral system.
Engagements
The president landed in New York on Saturday (21). On Sunday (22), he spoke at the Summit for the Future, an event that runs parallel to the UN General Assembly. Yesterday (23), he took part in bilateral meetings with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille.
Also on Tuesday, the Brazilian president is slated to coordinate the event “In defense of democracy, combating extremism,” alongside Spanish President Pedro Sanchez. The initiative seeks to strengthen institutions in the fight against inequality, disinformation, and radicalism.