Speaking to BRICS Leaders, Lula Calls for Unity against Unilateralism
In a virtual summit, he urged the bloc’s leaders to defend cooperation and a 'revitalized multilateralism,' advocating for the reform of global governance and a new model of sustainable development
By the BRICS Brasil Editorial Team
On Monday, September 8, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva advocated for the unity of BRICS countries as a counterbalance to "growing international instability" and what he described as a "divide-and-conquer strategy" of unilateralism. In his speech during the Virtual Meeting of BRICS Leaders, convened at Brasil’s initiative, Lula stated that the group—representing 40% of global GDP—has the "necessary legitimacy to lead the reform of the multilateral system."
"Tariff blackmail is being normalized as a tool for market conquest and interference in domestic affairs. It is up to BRICS to demonstrate that cooperation prevails over any form of rivalry," criticized the Brazilian president. Lula also invited BRICS member countries to ‘stand united' at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference next year, scheduled to be held in Cameroon, in equatorial Africa.
The virtual meeting took place two months after the Rio de Janeiro Summit, held in early July, against the backdrop of escalating global geopolitical and trade tensions.
In their final declaration, the leaders reaffirmed the group’s commitment to preserving and strengthening multilateralism, as well as to reforming international governance institutions.
COP30: Global South Leadership is Crucial
The president devoted a significant portion of his speech to the environmental agenda, framing COP30—set to be held in Belém next year—as "a moment of truth and science." Lula argued that developing countries, which are the most affected by the climate crisis, should lead the proposal of a new development paradigm.
Lula extended a formal invitation to BRICS partners to consider the creation of a United Nations Climate Change Council, aimed at centralizing and strengthening global climate governance, which is currently fragmented across various forums and mechanisms. "We need stronger climate governance, capable of exercising effective oversight," he stated.
As a concrete proposal, the Brazilian president highlighted the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, designed to compensate countries and communities for preserving biomes essential to the planet’s balance. Lula argued that revenues from fossil fuels can be used to finance the ecological transition, emphasizing that the path to avoiding a new Cold War lies in Global South cooperation in favor of a distinct growth model—one that harmonizes development with environmental preservation.
Revitalized Multilateralism
The president concluded his speech by emphasizing the importance of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, taking place in two weeks, as an opportunity for BRICS to "speak with one voice in defense of revitalized multilateralism." He advocated for the expansion of the Security Council to include new permanent and non-permanent members from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. "Unilateralism will never lead to the fulfillment of the goals of peace, justice, and prosperity that our predecessors envisioned in 1945," he stated. "BRICS is already the new name for the defense of multilateralism."