UN Assembly: Bolsonaro says Brazil economy nears “full recovery”
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said today (Sep 22) that, despite the global crisis, Brazil is reaching the end of 2022 with an “economy in full recovery.” Opening the session of the 77th United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Bolsonaro underscored favorable numbers on the country’s economy—such as sinking inflation and unemployment, poverty reduction, and the implementation of reforms aimed at attracting investment.
“In 2021, Brazil was the world’s fourth largest destination of direct investment from overseas. Our foreign trade has reached the historic mark of 39 percent of the GDP, even after slashing taxes on thousands of products or bringing them down to zero. Domestically, we are also breaking records in three arenas: tax collection, profits from state-owned companies, and the public debt–to–GDP ratio,” he pointed out.
In his speech, Bolsonaro talked about efforts to improve the business environment, such as Brazil’s Law of Economic Freedom Law and the Law of Startups.
In view of the “effort to modernize the Brazilian economy,” he went on to argue, the nation is moving towards its admission as a full member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Sustainable development
While discussing the environment, President Bolsonaro mentioned the energy transition in Brazil and the growing investment in clean energy production. “Brazil started its energy transition nearly half a century ago, in reaction to the oil crisis back then. Today, our biofuel industry is modern and sustainable—an industry that contributes to [turning Brazil into] the cleanest energy matrix among the G20 countries,” he declared.
The country, he added, has the capacity to be a major world exporter of clean energy. “We are already building a surplus that could surpass 100 gigawatts—including biomass, and onshore wind as well as solar energy—in addition to the potential, still untapped, of 700 gigawatts of offshore wind with one of the globe’s lowest production costs. These sources should produce green hydrogen for export. Part of this 100% clean energy makes it possible for us to to become suppliers of highly competitive industrial products, especially in Northeast Brazil, with one of the smallest carbon footprints in the world,” he highlighted.
International conflicts
In Bolsonaro’s view, the solution to the conflict in Ukraine will be achieved through negotiation and dialogue. “In the United Nations as well as other forums, we have been attempting to avoid the blocking of dialogue channels caused by polarization around the conflict. In this connection, we oppose diplomatic and economic isolation,” he said, stressing his concern about the consequences of the conflict—such as the rise in prices for food, fuel, and other supplies worldwide.
“We support all efforts to reduce the economic impact of this crisis. But we do not believe the best way forward is adopting unilateral and selective sanctions that contravene international law. Such measures have undermined economic recovery and affected the human rights of vulnerable groups, including in countries in Europe itself,” he stated.
The Brazilian leader also advocated a reform in the UN, specifically the Security Council. “After 25 years of debates, it is clear that we need to seek innovative solutions,” he argued. In the 2022–2023 biennium, Brazil is occupying a non-permanent seat in the entity.
Bolsonaro arrived in New York last night (19) for the yearly gathering at the UN headquarters. The high-level sessions should last until next Monday (26).
Traditionally, it is up to the Brazilian head of state to deliver the opening address at the UN General Assembly. The theme of this year’s general debate and the 77th session of the assembly is “A watershed moment: Transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.” Prior to his participation, Bolsonaro met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso. Also on this afternoon’s agenda is a videoconference with investors from the supermarket sector. President Bolsonaro is expected to leave New York for Brasília late this afternoon.
