At the African Union Summit, President Lula defends the entry of more countries from the continent as full members of the G20
During the opening of the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia, the Brazilian president also stressed that "without the Global South countries, a new cycle of world expansion will not be possible, with growth, a reduction in inequalities and environmental preservation, with the expansion of freedoms" and condemned the ongoing wars in the world.
On an official visit to two African countries, Egypt and Ethiopia, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reaffirmed his commitment to gaining increasingly robust support for the priorities of Brasil's presidency of the G20. This Saturday (17), when he spoke as a guest at the 37th Summit of the African Union - which this year makes its debut as a full member of the G20, Lula reinforced the importance of multilateralism and the role of the countries of the Global South in building a more just world.
"Attempts to restore an international system based on ideological blocs have no basis in reality. Multipolarity is an inexorable and welcome component of the 21st century. The consolidation of the BRICS as the main forum for emerging countries is an undeniable step forward," said the Brazilian president. "Without the developing countries, it will not be possible to open a new cycle of global expansion that combines growth, reduction of inequalities and environmental preservation, with the expansion of freedoms," he said.
President Lula once again condemned the wars currently taking place in the world, notably in Gaza and Ukraine, and advocated reforming the institutions of global governance. According to him, the solution to the conflicts is "a strengthened UN with a more representative Security Council, without countries with veto power, and with permanent members from Africa and Latin America. Two years ago, the war in Ukraine exposed the paralysis of the Council. In addition to the tragic loss of life, its consequences are felt around the world in the price of food and fertilizers".
The president emphasized the importance of African countries and Brasil in the fight against climate change. "We also prioritize environmental health. The imperative to protect the world's two largest tropical forests, the Amazon and the Congo, elevates us to the forefront of the climate agenda. The international instruments in place today are insufficient to effectively reward the protection of forests, biodiversity, and the peoples who live in, care for, and rely on these biomes," he stated.
Read the full text of President Lula's speech at the opening of the 37th African Union Summit
Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty
One of the highlights of President Lula's trip to African countries was the establishment of a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, which is one of Brasil's G20 priorities.
He and the first lady, sociologist Janja Lula, landed in Addis Ababa with a T-shirt referring to the Alliance and invited countries to take part in this urgent action against hunger and poverty in the world. In his speech, Lula cited Brasil's successful Bolsa Família program as an example of action that can be replicated in other countries.
President Lula mentioned access to vaccines, health investments, debt renegotiation by poor and developing countries, and warnings about the concentration of technologies such as artificial intelligence, all of which are topics of G20 working groups, during his speech.