Lula's UNGA Speech: Gaza Massacre, Democracy, and Global Order

Crisis of Multilateralism and Democracy

• 🌎 The UN General Assembly, meant to celebrate nations and aspirations for peace, is facing a crisis where multilateralism is at a crossroads and the organization's authority is challenged.
• ⚠️ International order is marked by consolidation of power politics, attacks on sovereignty, and unilateral sanctions, paralleling the decline of multilateralism with the weakening of democracy.
• ✊ Brazil, after regaining democracy 40 years ago, resists authoritarianism and defends its institutions, emphasizing that democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable.

Addressing Global Hunger and Inequality

• 🍽️ Brazil has rejoined the fight against hunger, but globally, 670 million people face hunger and billions experience food insecurity.
• 🤝 The international community must prioritize ending hunger, reducing war spending, increasing development aid, and alleviating debt for poorer nations.
• 💰 A global minimum tax standard is proposed to ensure wealthier entities contribute more.

Digital Governance and AI

• 💻 Digital platforms, while connecting people, are used to spread intolerance and disinformation, necessitating public power to protect users.
• ⚖️ Regulating the digital space is not about restricting freedom but ensuring that illegal activities in the real world are also treated as such online.
• 🤖 Brazil is developing advanced laws for digital child protection and fostering competition in digital markets, while advocating for multilateral governance of artificial intelligence.

Regional Stability and International Conflicts

• 🌎 Latin America and the Caribbean prioritize maintaining the region as a zone of peace, free from weapons of mass destruction and ethnic conflicts.
• 🕊️ The conflict in Ukraine requires a negotiated solution, considering legitimate security concerns of all parties, with initiatives like the African and China-Brazil groups potentially aiding dialogue.
• 💥 The disproportionate and illegal use of force is diplomatic, and while terrorist attacks are indefensible, they do not justify genocide in Gaza.

Climate Action and UN Reform

• 🔥 The year 2024 being the hottest on record underscores the urgency of climate action, with COP 30 in Belém being a critical moment for leaders to demonstrate commitment.
• 🌳 Developing nations face climate change alongside other challenges, requiring greater ambition and resources from developed countries, not as charity but as a matter of justice.
• 💡 The Amazon's reality will be showcased in Belém, with Brazil committed to reducing deforestation and fostering sustainable development, proposing a fund to remunerate countries for maintaining rainforests.
• 🌐 The UN needs reform, including a council to monitor climate commitments and an expanded concept of security, to address the regression in the multilateral system and the rise of unilateral measures.

Global Cooperation and Leadership

• 🤝 The world has lost influential figures like Tabaré Vázquez and Pope Francis, who embodied communist values and fought against authoritarianism and inequality.
• 🌍 The 21st century will be increasingly multipolar and must be multilateral to remain peaceful, with Brazil valuing alliances like the EU, African Union, and BRICS.
• ✨ The Global South's voice must be heard and respected, as its mission is to be a portent of hope and promoter of peace.