President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) defended this Wednesday (2) the inclusion of new countries in the Brics – a group formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
During an interview with foreign correspondents, Lula defended the entry of nations such as Saudi Arabia, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates. According to the president, the Brics representatives could discuss the possibility of new nations joining if there is consensus.
The presidents of the Brics countries meet in South Africa at the end of this month.
“Possibly at this meeting, we can already decide, by consensus, which new countries can join the Brics. I think it’s extremely important for us to allow other countries that meet the requirements to join the Brics. From a world point of view, I think the Brics can play an essential role in the economy,” said Lula.
“I think it is extremely important for Saudi Arabia to join the BRICS. I think the UAE is extremely important, if they want to enter, enter the Brics, Argentina…”, quoted the president.
Lula also commented that he expects a more “generous” posture from the Banco dos Brics. Currently, the bank is headed by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.
“I think the Banco dos Brics has to be more effective and more generous than the IMF [Fundo Monetário Internacional]. In other words, a bank exists to help save the country and not to help sink the country, which is what the IMF often does,” said Lula.
By defending the possibility of expanding the Brics as an international political force, the president took the opportunity to criticize the G7, the group of seven most industrialized countries in the world, and stated that it should have already been replaced by the G20.
“I hope that one day people will realize that the way of discussing politics in the G7 is outdated. It is necessary to open. In fact, the G7 shouldn’t even exist after the creation of the G20. Because they are the same people, ”he said.
Brazil participated in the last G7 meeting, in Japan, as a guest country, and is a member of the G20.
Saudi Arabian investments in Brazil
Lula’s statement, citing Saudi Arabia, comes days after the vice president and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (Mdic), Geraldo Alckmin, received a delegation from the country at an event at Fiesp on Monday (31 ).
At the event, Brazilian companies and the Saudis signed 25 agreements for bilateral trade and investment. The investment minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Khalid Al Falih, was optimistic about the advancement of the partnership between the countries.
“Brazil and Saudi Arabia, two proud members of the G20 and energy producers, are well positioned to be strategic partners, with us being the economic leaders of our respective regions,” said the Saudi.
“With our strategic interests aligned and private sectors strong, we could become a top five investor in each other’s economy. I believe this will be possible,” he added.
*With information from Reuters and CNN’s Danilo Moliterno
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
