President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is due to deliver the traditional speech at the opening of the 80th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York this Tuesday (23).
In addition to outlining Brazil’s foreign policy priorities, the president will participate in meetings on the Palestinian issue and the climate crisis in preparation for the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), to take place in the Amazon city of Belém in November.
Palestine
While in New York, President Lula is also expected to attend the 2nd session of the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, convened by France and Saudi Arabia.
“From Brazil’s perspective, sustainable peace can only be achieved in the region if both parties can negotiate on equal terms, which includes Palestine’s state capacity,” Diplomat Marcelo Marotta Viegas, director of the Department of International Organizations at the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, noted on Monday (Sep. 15).
The government hopes this can serve as an opportunity for more countries to recognize Palestine as a state, he added. In addition to Brazil, 147 nations currently recognize Palestine.
Countries such as France, the UK, Canada, and Portugal expressed interest in recognizing Palestine during the UN meeting. Israel and the US, on the other hand, reject the possibility.
Democracy
President Lula will also participate in the second edition of the event In Defense of Democracy and Against Extremism, on September 24, with leaders from around 30 countries. Besides Brazil, the initiative is led by the presidents of Chile, Gabriel Boric, and Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
“In a context of global uncertainty and growing threats to democratic values, the meeting will be an opportunity to reaffirm shared commitments to democracy, multilateralism, and the rule of law,” said Viegas.
The initiative aims to promote international cooperation against institutional deterioration, misinformation, hate speech, and social inequality.
The first meeting on democracy took place in Chile in July this year and was attended by the presidents of Brazil, Spain, Colombia, and Uruguay. A joint statement was issued by the countries.
Climate crisis
On September 24, an event on the climate crisis – another priority on President Lula’s agenda in New York – will be co-chaired by Brazil and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“The meeting should boost the mobilization of member states for climate action, including the presentation of new nationally determined contributions, the NDCs, ahead of COP30,” said Mário Gustavo Mottin, the Foreign Ministry’s head of the Climate Action Division.
NDCs are commitments made by each country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that warm the Earth. To date, only 29 countries have submitted their NDCs.
President Lula is also participating in an event organized by Brazil in New York to garner support for the creation of the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), to be launched in the city of Belém at COP30 with the aim of financing the preservation of these forests.
Also part of President Lula’s engagements is the meeting organized by the Global Center on Adaptation, led by former Senegalese President Macky Sall, to discuss mechanisms for adapting to climate change.
“It is led by an African, and Africa is the region of the world most vocal about the importance of adaptation and the need for adequate financing,” Mottin pointed out.
The Brazilian delegation is also expected to attend the New York Climate Week 2025. Starting on September 22, the assembly will feature around 500 events with government and society leaders from around the world.
New York Climate Week has been held since 2009, concurrently with the UN General Assembly, and will serve this year as a preparatory event for COP30.
“It has a positive effect of mobilization, discussion, and presentation of solutions for climate change developed by countries, society, and the private sector,” Mottin declared.
