UN reform delay makes world more dangerous, says Lula at BRICS summit

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated on Sunday (Jul. 6) that the delay in reforming the United Nations Security Council makes the world “more unstable and dangerous.” The Brazilian president was the first to speak at the session titled Peace and Security, Global Governance Reform, at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Lula also said that the Council needs to be made more legitimate, representative, effective, and democratic. In his view, including new permanent members from Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean “is more than a matter of justice—it is essential to the very survival of the UN.”

The Brazilian president also criticized military spending, terrorism, Israeli offensives, and the instrumentalization of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

NATO

In Lula’s view, of all the times Brazil has held the BRICS presidency, this one comes amid the most adverse global scenario. “We are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism,” he said.

He sees BRICS as the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement, which brought together nations that did not unconditionally align with the positions of Western countries led by the United States. “With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is once again in check,” he added.

Surrounded by BRICS leaders, he criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—the Western military alliance led by the United States—and the rise in global military spending.

“NATO’s recent decision fuels the arms race. It is easier to allocate 5 percent of GDP to military spending than to allocate the promised 0.7 percent to Official Development Assistance. This shows that the resources to implement the 2030 Agenda [a set of actions aimed at sustainable development] exist, but are not available due to a lack of political priority. It is always easier to invest in war than in peace,” he criticized.

UN - Council without credibility

Lula stated that, in the current scenario, the decisions of the UN Security Council are marked by a “loss of credibility and paralysis.”

The Council has 15 members, only five of whom are permanent members with veto power: the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom. Brazil has been a member of the Council, but only as a temporary member and without veto power.

Brazil has been calling for reform of the Security Council for years, advocating the inclusion of more nations with permanent seats. Lula recalled that the push for reform gained momentum during Brazil’s presidency of the G20 (which includes 19 countries plus the European and African unions) last November. “Lately, [the Security Council] is not even consulted before military action is taken,” he said.

IAEA

According to the president, “old rhetorical maneuvers are recycled to justify illegal interventions.” Lula then criticized the instrumentalization of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) work, which “jeopardizes the reputation of an agency fundamental to peace.”

The IAEA is responsible for inspecting nuclear programs, including Iran’s. Reports from the agency have raised concerns that Iran was enriching uranium beyond the 60 percent limit.

On the grounds that Iran was on the verge of producing nuclear weapons (which would require 90 percent uranium enrichment), Israel launched an offensive against the country in June. The Iranian government denies producing such weapons.

Lula pointed out that the Brazilian government condemned violations of Iran’s territorial integrity—one of the BRICS members.

The Brazilian president also criticized foreign interventions in regions such as the Middle East and North Africa. “Without respect for international law, the failures of actions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria are likely to be repeated on an even more serious scale,” he said.

He again repudiated attacks in Kashmir (a region disputed by India and Pakistan) carried out by the Palestinian group Hamas, and also condemned the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

“Absolutely nothing justifies the terrorist actions perpetrated by Hamas. However, we cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, and the use of hunger as a weapon of war,” he stressed.

Lula also emphasized that Brazil condemned the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity but did not mention Russia, one of BRICS’ founding members.

“It is urgent that the parties involved in the war in Ukraine deepen direct dialogue with a view to achieving a ceasefire and lasting peace. The Group of Friends for Peace, created by China and Brazil and involving countries from the Global South, seeks to identify possible ways to end hostilities,” added the president.

BRICS

Lula stated that if international governance does not reflect the new multipolar reality of the 21st century, “it is up to BRICS to help update it.”