Lula: Emerging Nations Must Protect Global Trade

(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA)) Rio de Janeiro – The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said on Saturday (5), at the opening of the BRICS Business Forum in Rio de Janeiro, that it is the role of emerging countries, including those that make up the bloc, to defend multilateral trade and reform the global financial architecture. Speaking to a business audience, Lula said that entrepreneurs“understand the dynamic core of the global economy” and noted that the BRICS account for 40% of the global gross domestic product, as well as exhibiting economic growth above the global average.

“Every time the presidents of the republics decide to hold an international event, it's important to share, along with that feeling, another sentiment with society-both civil society and business sectors. Ultimately, we presidents open the door, but it is the entrepreneurs who know how to do business,” he said alongside the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar bin Ibrahim.

BRICS is the group of emerging countries initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and later expanded to include the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia. On Sunday (6) and Monday (7), the group will hold a summit under Brazil's presidency in Rio de Janeiro, although some heads of state, such as Chinese President Xi Jinping, will be absent. Malaysia has been invited to the meeting.

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said at the meeting that Brazil is a global leader in clean energy

Throughout his speech, Lula outlined a series of challenges, such as inequality, decarbonization, and conflicts, as well as the need for greater participation of women in entrepreneurship and the labor market, and the end of conflicts, which he said prevent prosperity from being achieved. Regarding the role of the summit, he said:“Instead of barriers, we'll find solutions.”

The BRICS Business Forum is organized by industry group CNI, the institution that coordinates the BRICS Business Council and the Women's Business Alliance, which are private sector engagement groups in the BRICS countries. The forum takes place ahead of the summit and consists of panels on trade, food security, energy transition, decarbonization, skills development, the digital economy, and financing and financial inclusion.

Brazil's Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, also spoke at the event's opening, presenting data and achievements that highlight the country's leadership in food production and exports, as well as in the energy transition, noting that more than 80% of the energy generated in Brazil comes from renewable sources.

The importance of trade for the Arab countries

The UAE was represented by its Minister of Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Also from the UAE, the CEO & Chairman of the logistics company DP World, Ahmed bin Sulayem, gave the lecture Global Logistics Platform and took part in a panel on trade and food security.

In his speech at the forum, Zeyoudi said that for the UAE,“being part of the BRICS highlights our belief in an economic environment of growth and prosperity,” and he cited data showing the group's importance to the country's economy, such as non-oil exports this year exceeding USD 68 billion.“This [trade exchange] opens up market access for exporters and brings investment to key sectors, which demonstrates not only how our economies are integrated but also the long-term partnership in trade and investment,” he said.

Chairman & CEO of DP World, a company that is one of the forum's sponsors, Sulayem presented the Global Logistics Platform, an initiative launched by the UAE within the BRICS in December 2024 to develop trade corridors and enhance the resilience of exports and imports between BRICS countries and other emerging nations. He said the company has already invested more than BRL 5 billion [USD 900,000] in Brazil and is expanding its operations at the Port of Santos, as an example of its commitment to Brazil, one of the BRICS countries.

“The UAE has become a key gateway for facilitating cross-border trade and cooperation. We believe that together, the BRICS countries can seize economic opportunities and create sustainable development, as global trade continues to evolve,” he said.

Representatives from Egypt and Saudi Arabia were present at the meeting, which was also attended by the presence of Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC ) Secretary-General & International Relations Vice President Mohamad Mourad, Marketing Vice President Silvia Antibas, Treasurer Director Mohamad Abdouni Neto, and Institutional Relations Senior Analyst Elaine Prates.

Read more:
BRICS could broaden Brazil-UAE ties

Translated by Guilherme Miranda

Marcos Carrieri/ANBAMarcos Carrieri/ANBA

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