Speech by the Foreign Minister of Brazil, Ambassador Celso Amorim, at the 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement — Havana, 16 September 2006.

Mr. President,

His Excellency Mr Raul Castro, interim President of the State Council of the Republic of Cuba and Chairman of the 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement,

Heads of State and Government,

Distinguished Delegates,

Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honoured to take part in this 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in the wonderful city of Havana.

I am grateful for the warm and friendly welcome I have received since my arrival from the Cuban authorities.

Let me express, on behalf of President Lula and the Brazilian people, our best wishes for a quick recovery to President Fidel Castro.

In the last few decades there has been much talk among economists about a ‘twin deficit’. It refers, of course, to the situation regarding internal and external accounts.

I wish today to allude to another twin deficit that the world faces, one that has a great impact on the countries represented here: the twin deficit of democracy and development in the present international order.

Since its foundation, the Non-Aligned Movement has been advancing the aspirations and claims of developing countries in a spirit of dialogue and tolerance. Brazil has been supportive of these efforts and has cooperated closely with the other members of the movement.

Non-Alignment has been an indispensable force for upholding multilateralism.

Brazil stands firm in its defence of principles that have guided the attitudes of the Non-Aligned Movement, such as non-interference in domestic affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes. In particular we condemn every form of unilateral action, such as embargoes and sanctions, not to mention the use of force that is not authorized by the Security Council.

Increased interdependence calls for enhanced solidarity among nations. This is especially necessary with regard to the many parts of Africa in which men, women and children are doomed to a life of poverty and despair.

President Lula has therefore become an advocate for what we describe as an attitude of ‘non-indifference’.

In September 2004, President Lula, along with his Chilean, French, German and Spanish counterparts – and with the support of the UN Secretary-General – launched the ‘Action against Hunger and Poverty’, an initiative that brought together more than fifty Heads of State and Government.

Our objective was to create an effective partnership to mobilize international support for financing development through innovative mechanisms.

This goal is becoming a reality. Next Tuesday, President Lula, together with other leaders, will announce the official creation of the International Drug Purchase Facility to combat the three diseases that most seriously affect developing countries: HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Mr Chairman,

In the WTO, Brazil has joined forces with other poor countries to ensure that the Doha Development Agenda is true to its name.

As mentioned in the Statement adopted in the High-Level Meeting of the G-20, held in Rio de Janeiro last weekend: 'The livelihood and standards of living of the world's poor are seriously jeopardized by the subsidies and market access barriers prevailing in international agricultural trade. Any round that would be faithful to its development dimension must urgently redress this situation'.

The challenges of our global society call for enlightened leadership. South-South cooperation, as supported by NAM and other groups such as the G-15, is an essential element of the path towards these solutions.

The Summit which has just taken place in Brasilia between India, Brazil and South Africa – involving three large democracies, each from a different continent – opens new possibilities for South-South initiatives. The same goes for our relentless efforts towards South American and Latin American integration.

Mr Chairman,

In the field of peace and security, inadequate responses undertaken outside the UN Charter present us with the urgent task of reforming our institutions. Let us heed the words of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan before this Conference: the narrow power base of the Security Council’s composition carries the risk of a progressive erosion of its authority and legitimacy.

We fully agree when he speaks of a 'democracy deficit'.

Threats posed by terrorism and weapons of mass destruction can only be confronted successfully with the democratization of the decision-making process within the UN system.

Following the establishment of the Human Rights Council and the Peace-Building Commission, the time has come to address the reform of the Security Council.

In Lebanon I witnessed the tragic effects of disproportionate use of force to solve problems which call for enduring political solutions.

The Palestinian people continue to face acute hardship, as the means for achieving for a peace settlement and a viable Palestinian State remain elusive.

In our region, Haiti has become a test case for peace-building through a UN-mandated collective effort. But we will need sustained international engagement to achieve lasting results.

The challenges we face require solidarity and a renewed capacity for dialogue.

We reject the view of an international order which favours the use of force and regards multilateralism as just one among many options on the menu, to be selected when it suits the objectives of the powerful. Our vision of peace presupposes social justice, democratic procedures and respect for international law.

We will continue to work closely with the Non-Aligned Movement in order to transform this shared vision into reality.

Thank you.