Lula says rich nations do little for the poor

Lourenço Melo

Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília - During his weekly radio talk to the nation, today president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared that although the rich nations agreed to the Millennium Goals program, they do little to help poor nations.

According to Lula, it is the responsibility of governments, the UN, the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization to assist poor nations reach the Millennium Goals. He went on to say that Brazil is struggling to reach the goals, even though it is having less difficulties "because it has high levels of technology, competitivity and competence which enable the country to compete on equal terms with any other country. We are not afraid of anybody."

Lula said the round of trade talks that ended yesterday in Hong Kong were important because the poor and emerging nations got together and demanded that rich nations end farm subsidies and open their markets.

Lula pointed out that many Latin American and African nations depend exclusively on farm produce. "That is why they need access to rich nation markets, so they can sell their cotton, corn and sugar. Without export income those countries will have great difficulties fulfilling their Millennium Goal targets," said Lula.

In conclusion, Lula commented on the government's Millennium Development awards, saying that the 27 projects selected showed that Brazil is capable of achieving its Millennium Goals targets, but that the private sector had to do its part and not wait for the federal, state and local governments to do everything.

Translation: Allen Bennett