Speech by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the G77 + China Summit in Cuba

I salute President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Cuban people for their hospitality.

It is of special significance that – at this time of great geopolitical transformation — this Summit is being held here in Havana.

Cuba has been an advocate for fairer global governance.

And to this day it is the victim of an illegal economic embargo.

Brazil is against any unilateral coercive measures.

We reject the inclusion of Cuba on the list of state terrorism sponsors.

Dear friends,

During this new mandate, I have been to several forums with developing countries – such as CELAC, BRICS and G20.

But none of these forums possess the scope and diversity of G77.

Our group corresponds to 79% of the world population and 49% of global GDP at purchasing power parity.

It has also been a player of important changes within multilateral institutions for almost 60 years.

The G77 was instrumental in exposing the anomalies of global trade and in advocating for the construction of a New International Economic Order.

Unfortunately, many of our demands have never been met.

Global governance remains asymmetrical. The UN, the Bretton Woods system and the WTO are losing credibility.

We must not be divided.

We must forge a common vision that takes into account the concerns of low- and middle-income countries and other more vulnerable groups.

It is strategic that the G77 has for the first time dedicated a Summit to Science, Technology and Innovation.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in the proportion of global GDP invested in research and development.

But this increase did not occur in a uniform way.

Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa went against this trend.

Other inequalities persist. It is discouraging that women make up only 31% of the total number of researchers.

We need to reinforce our demands in light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Two major transformations are underway.

They cannot be shaped by a handful of rich economies, repeating the relationship of dependence between center and periphery.

The first transformation is the digital revolution.

Advancements such as network computing, artificial intelligence, cutting-edge biotechnology and digitalization offer possibilities that were unimaginable just a few decades ago.

But these innovations also present ominous side effects.

The business model of multinational technology companies accentuates the concentration of wealth, disrespects labor laws and often fuels human rights violations and encourages extremism.

We run risks ranging from loss of privacy to the use of autonomous weapons, including the racist bias of many algorithms.

The UN Global Digital Pact offers the opportunity to mitigate these challenges and allow the benefits of new technologies to be enjoyed by everyone.

The idea of ​​establishing a scientific panel for artificial intelligence is welcome, but the participation of experts from the developing world must be ensured.

UNESCO's project Global Guidelines for the Regulation of Digital Platforms balances freedom of expression and access to information with the need to curb the dissemination of content that breaks the law or threatens democracy and human rights.

The second major change that is underway in the world is energy transition.

The climate emergency imposes new imperatives on us, but fair transition offers opportunities.

This transition will bring us cleaner air, unpolluted rivers, cities that are more welcoming, quality food on the table, decent jobs and healthier children.

It was with this firm conviction that we held the Amazon Summit in Belém last month.

The Declaration we adopted provides for a broad scientific cooperation agenda and values ​​the knowledge of Amazon communities and institutions.

The Amazon Regional Observatory is going to systematize and monitor data to guide public policies and make them more effective.

We must take advantage of the genetic heritage of our biodiversity, and carry out a fair distribution of benefits while protecting the intellectual property of our resources and traditional knowledge.

We are going to promote sustainable industrialization, investing in renewable energy, socio-bioeconomy and low-carbon agriculture.

We are going to do this without forgetting that our historical responsibility for global warming is not the same as rich countries’.

The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remains valid.

This is why climate financing must be guaranteed to all developing countries according to their needs and priorities.

On the path between COP28, in Dubai, and COP30, in Belém, we will have to insist on the implementation of commitments that have never been fulfilled by developed countries.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the 1980’s, Brazil was a pioneer in South-South cooperation concerning science, technology and innovation by establishing partnerships in the field of nuclear energy with Argentina and in the field of space with China.

These two cooperation initiatives are still bearing fruit today.

While reestablishing Brazil's leading role in the world, our foreign policy is placing special importance on scientific and technological cooperation between developing countries.

We will give new impetus to regional programs and projects through CELAC, BRICS and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

Collaboration with Angola and Mozambique and several other African countries demonstrates that sharing Brazilian knowledge, policies and technologies can help them make a leap in agricultural productivity and medicine production.

During Brazil’s G20 presidency, we are going to propose a Science, Technology and Innovation Working Group to leverage the interests of developing countries in this field.

In New Delhi, we took part in the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance.

Our goal is to show the potential of bioenergy in the context of energy transition.

Dear friends,

At the end of the Cold War, the Southern Commission led by Julius Nyerere brought together dozens of intellectuals, diplomats and leaders from Africa, Asia and Latin America – among them my friend Manmohan Singh and Brazilians Celso Furtado and Paulo Arns – to build a common vision of development.

A second edition of the Southern Commission would allow us to update our vision of sustainable development based on our realities and priorities, and in light of the digital revolution and a fair transition.

I offer this suggestion to Uganda, to whom I wish success as head of the G77 presidency starting next year.

The countries of the South are fully capable of occupying the forefront of science, technology and innovation.

To do so, we need to act together once again as we did in the past.

Thank you very much.