Brazil's President Looks to the Future
President of one of the world’s most important emerging economies, Lula da Silva is also rapidly becoming one of its most influential leaders. When President Lula da Silva speaks, more and more people around the world are listening.
Lula da Silva was originally elected on his promise to eliminate hunger in Brazil. This fight remains central to his political character and as president, he has met with some notable success. During the 6 years of his administration, the number of poor in Brazil has been cut in half. Also, for the first time in history, the middle class is now the majority, with 52% of the population reaching this economic plateau.
Even though he understands that there is a long way to go in the battle against poverty, Lula da Silva believes that the changes made in his country have been important ones. “Brazil,” he states, “has never been in a better position to meet the challenges ahead and is fully aware of its growing global responsibilities.”
Brazil’s global responsibilities are something that Lula da Silva takes very seriously.
Looking far beyond his borders, he is working to share Brazil’s knowledge with other emerging nations in an attempt to help them help themselves. Partnerships have been established between Brazil and other nations that want to develop ethanol and biodiesel programmes along the Brazilian model, which does not create additional pressures on the food supply.
Perhaps the greatest aim of Lula da Silva is to make the global decision-making process more inclusive and involve more countries, breaking away from the western leadership model. “Greater democracy in international decision-making is essential if truly effective answers to global challenges are to be found. The magnitude of the current financial crisis requires a vigorous response from the multilateral institutions,” Lula da Silva said.
To these ends, Lula da Silva is pressing for a greater role for his fellow BRIC countries (Russia, India and China) in the new world order and has also formed the Union of South American Nations (UNASUL) as a way to provide a coherent continental energy plan, defense council and development bank for the region.
Da Silva has heard the predictions that his country will be among the global superpowers in the coming decades; he already appears to be laying the groundwork for the future.
Liquid News - 19 Mar 2009
