São Paulo – In his opening speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (24) in New York, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for reform of the UN Security Council and other institutional organizations, committed to achieving zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030, warned about the rising global hunger, and highlighted “forgotten” conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, which have caued “atrocious suffering to nearly thirty million people.”
The Brazilian president began his speech by greeting the Palestinian delegation, led by President Mahmoud Abbas. This was the first time Palestine participated in the opening of a General Assembly, albeit as an observer state. In his speech, Lula criticized the current leaders’ inability to implement actions that serve global interests, such as reducing social inequality and fulfilling commitments to sustainability.
In calling for the reform of the UN Charter, the treaty that established the institution, Lula outlined four goals—transforming the Economic and Social Council into the main forum for addressing sustainable development, revitalizing the role of the General Assembly, strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission, and reforming the Security Council “with a focus on its composition, working methods, and veto power, making it more effective and representative of contemporary realities.”
Lula drew attention to forgotten conflicts
In his speech, he covered various topics, from the conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, and Yemen to the need for global regulation of artificial intelligence. He also warned that since 2019, the number of people facing hunger worldwide has increased by more than 152 million. “In Gaza and the West Bank, we’ve witnessed one of the largest humanitarian crises in recent history, which is now dangerously spreading to Lebanon,” he said.
Regarding the environment, Lula said that his government reduced Amazon deforestation by 50% in the past year and that it will be eradicated by 2030. Despite this commitment, Lula pointed to climate disasters Brazil has faced, such as the May floods in Rio Grande do Sul [state] and the wildfires in August and September. “My administration does not outsource responsibilities nor relinquishes its sovereignty,” he said. “We’ve already done a lot, but we know we must do more,” Lula added, emphasizing the need to fight against those profiting from environmental degradation.
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Here you can find Lula’s full speech [in Portuguese].
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
