Lula on BRICS: “I am reborn in politics and in hope”

In a conversation with journalists before leaving South Africa for Angola, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva highlighted the bloc’s fundamental progresses, and made a very positive assessment of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and Africa do Sul) Summit held in Johannesburg between August 22 and 24.

I think this is a historic moment for humanity — in which, for the first time, countries from the South may use their strength. I think things will evolve; it will now be easier to sit down and talk. Who knows, maybe the BRICS bloc will meet with the G7 bloc to discuss trade, scientific and technological advancement – and to discuss democracy?
LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA
Brazil’s President

To Lula, the meeting of the five countries’ heads of state meant encouragement and hope towards advances such as the entry of new members; discussions concerning the reconfiguration of the UN Security Council; the willingness to establish a common business currency for trade among BRICS members; and the participation of invited countries.

"This is a civilizing meeting. Poor countries can also speak, they also have the right to do so, they also have the desire to do so. What we want is to express what we wish to bring to our people. It's time to better share our daily bread. I am reborn in politics and in hope. I leave South Africa with the certainty that I can finally tell the people who are listening to me that another world is possible – a world that seemed impossible a while ago", said Lula, also stating that the meeting was the most important one he has taken part in across all his three terms as president.

STRONGER BRICS – During the press conference, Lula stated that, with the arrival of new members (Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran), BRICS gains even more economic and strategic importance, and is now beggining to establish relations with other blocs and organizations such as the Global South, in a changing world where economy and geopolitics are also beginning to change.

"I think this is a historic moment for humanity — in which, for the first time, countries from the South may use their strength. I think things will evolve; it will now be easier to sit down and talk. Who knows, maybe the BRICS bloc will meet with the G7 bloc to discuss trade, scientific and technological advancement – and to discuss democracy."

The president observed that, in 1995, G7 countries held 44.7% of the world’s GDP by purchasing parity, and that the countries that would make up part of BRICS represented only 16.9%. "In 2010, the G7 had already fallen to 34.3% of GDP by purchasing parity, and BRICS had risen to 26.6%. In 2023, the G7 has 29.9% and BRICS, 32.1%. And the most important thing is that, with the entry of new countries, BRICS will reach almost 37%", he said.

Lula defended the strengthening of Mercosur and Unasur, and also said that BRICS is open to new members – who, when applying, will be chosen according to the same criteria as those announced this Thursday. He mentioned Angola, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo as potential future members, if interested in joining the group.

"We will continue to do this judiciously, according to each country’s geopolitical importance. The game changer is the country’s importance. I do not want to know what the leader’s ideologies are, but whether he is within the established criteria for entry".

BUSINESS CURRENCY – About the creation of a business currency – an idea that the President has been mentioning in interviews and international meetings –, Lula said that the idea is not to change countries’ existing currencies, but to create a currency that allows parity negotiation within international trade, eliminating the use of dollars to this end.

"There was never a global forum in which it was decided that the dollar would become the reference currency for business. Gold simply left, and dollar arrived and remained,” he said. According to Lula, BRICS member countries will have one year to advance this idea. “At our next meeting in Russia in 2024, all BRICS countries will discuss whether there is consensus or not".

SECURITY COUNCIL – The entry of new members into the UN Security Council is also a topic Brazil has long defended. Lula again said that the organization must better reflect the new design of world geopolitics – a very different one compared to 1945 when it was created. He observed that Council members decide to attack other countries, and begin wars, without listening to the Council, and said that the UN needs to be more practical and better respected.

“The world has changed, countries have changed and gained importance. It's important that the UN be representative, that it may make decisions that people will obey. Especially at this moment when we are discussing the climate issue,” said the president, also repeating that rich countries must pay for the carbon dioxide emissions and global destruction that occurred during their industrialization processes.

THE ENVIRONMENT – Lula said that, when discussing protection of the planet, it must be understood that under the canopy of the rainforest’s trees and on the banks of its rivers live millions of people who want to work, eat and dress well and have access to material goods. “We have to imagine that taking care of nature means taking care of these people too.”

The Brazilian president once again defended understandings towards peace — and said that he has a war to win in Brazil: the struggle against hunger and the return to democracy. According to Lula, the world can only move towards reducing inequalities and a model of greater social justice through the decisions of world leaders.

Following the interview in South Africa, Lula flew to Angola for a two-day agenda this Friday (August 25) and Saturday (August 26). On Sunday (August 27), the President will take part in a meeting of Portuguese-speaking countries in São Tomé and Príncipe.