Brazil’s foreign minister on Wednesday called for reform of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions and criticized their inability to prevent global conflict as the country takes up the presidency of the Group of 20 (G20).
Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told other foreign ministers in his opening remarks at the Group of 20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro that the United Nations Security Council cannot prevent or stop conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. He said he hasn’t been able to do it.
“Multilateral institutions are ill-equipped to meet current challenges, as the unacceptable paralysis of the Security Council in relation to the ongoing conflict demonstrates,” Vieira said.
Secretary of State Blinken meets with Brazilian president following inflammatory comments in Gaza
Foreign ministers from 20 major rich and developing countries met this week to discuss poverty, climate change and rising global tensions, ahead of a summit in Rio on November 18-19. Establishing a roadmap for the work to be done.
One of Brazil’s key proposals put forth by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is to reform global governance institutions such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and multilateral banks, promoting greater representation of developing countries. I want to.
Leftist leaders expressed interest in expanding the UN Security Council on February 18, saying they were considering including more countries from Africa and Latin America as well as India, Germany and Japan.
“We need more people and we need to abolish the UN veto, because it is impossible for one country to veto something that all member states have approved.” Lula said during the visit. .
Delegates are seen attending the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
It remains to be seen whether Lula’s push will be successful, as permanent members of the Security Council have in the past rejected attempts at reforms that would lead to a loss of their power.
Lucas Pereira Rezende, a political scientist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, said: “There is currently no momentum to reform the United Nations.The United Nations is in crisis, and perhaps it is not ideal to reform the Security Council now.” No,” he said.
Vieira said Brazil is “deeply concerned” that, according to some studies, conflicts are escalating around the world, not just in Ukraine and Gaza but in more than 170 locations.
Vieira said more than $2 trillion is spent annually on military budgets around the world, and much of that money should go to development assistance programs.
“If inequality and climate change do indeed constitute existential threats, we cannot escape the feeling that concrete action on these issues is lacking,” Vieira said. “These are the wars we will have to fight in 2024.”
Early Wednesday morning, Lula met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the capital Brasilia for about two hours to discuss global governance and other issues. Blinken is on a three-day visit to Brazil and Argentina before heading to Rio for the G20 meeting.
They also discussed the Gaza conflict, including expediting the release of all hostages, increasing humanitarian assistance, and working urgently to improve the protection of Palestinian civilians, according to a statement from the US State Department.
Lula has not publicly commented on diplomatic issues between Israel and Brazil, key US allies, following Lula’s controversial comments comparing Israel’s military offensive in Gaza to the Holocaust.
“What is happening to the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people is something we have never seen before in history,” Lula told reporters at the African Union summit in Ethiopia on Sunday. “That was the case when I decided to kill him.” Jews! ”
In response, Israel declared Lula “persona non grata” and summoned Brazil’s ambassador to Israel to demand an apology. In retaliation, Mr. Lula recalled the Brazilian ambassador for consultations.
Lula, who returned to power in January 2023 after years of diplomatic isolation under former President Jair Bolsonaro, has sought to put Brazil back on the center stage of global diplomacy.
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G20 finance ministers and central bank governors are scheduled to meet in Sao Paulo next week, with a second foreign ministers meeting scheduled for September.
