At the heart of the Brazilian proposal is the addition of new permanent members to the Security Council, which has only consisted of five countries since 1945.
This is an old dream of Brazilian diplomacy. Even in the United Nations’ founding years, documents show how the government tried to persuade Americans to support the idea of South American participation in the organization’s highest body. The support never arrived.
However, the view in the Planalto Palace is that this is the most opportune moment to push for reforms, especially given the resumption of the geopolitical debate due to the war in Ukraine and the repositioning of China as a power in the international scenario.
Since taking office, Lula has made two gestures. The first step was to convince the Chinese of the need for reform. Beijing has resisted, saying it would not be prepared to have two more Asian countries with veto power. The main contenders in the region would be India and Japan, both seen as American allies or regional rivals.
Nevertheless, during the Brics summit a week ago, China accepted a mention in the final declaration recognizing Brazil’s legitimate interest in a seat on the council. Itamaraty celebrated it as a sign that China was beginning to consider a new stance. “The giant has moved,” said a Brazilian diplomat.
Lula’s second gesture is to encourage a rapprochement with President Joe Biden in the US, hoping to convince Americans that UN reform is a prerequisite for the entity’s survival, including the entry of probably three of its allies : Germany, Japan and India.