“State must regain role in promoting development” (“The Sunday Times”, Pretoria, South Africa, 2/12/2006)

“Globalisation does not countenance localised and isolated answers, but calls for a system of global governance”

I accepted withpleasure the invitation from my dear friend President Thabo Mbeki to take part in the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Progressive Governance. I come to South Africa with high expectations for this event that, for the first time, will be hosted by a developing country.

The Progressive Governance brings together distinguished world leaders to offer answers to the wide-ranging frustration with the neo-liberal proposals of the 90’s. We must ensure that the state regains its development-inducing role and its function as a source of public policies geared to promoting fundamental social rights and the collective welfare.

Unemployment, poverty, migration, demographic and environmental imbalances: these problems require answers that make sense economically but that are, above all, socially responsible. The mediation between these two often conflicting requirements can only be undertaken efficiently by a state that is democratic, transparent and under social oversight.

In South America a powerful wave of popular democracy has swept over many countries, under the influence of historically underprivileged segments of the population calling for public policies that meet their economic and social demands.

These expressions of dissatisfaction bring to light what are, however, largely local symptoms of larger phenomena: the accelerated flow of goods, ideas and people between continents and cultures, the empowerment of a global civil society and the possibilities — for good or evil — that modern technology offers to individuals and groups pursuing  a political agenda.

Globalisation, for the lack of a better word, does not countenance localised and isolated answers, but rather calls for a system of true global governance. Without renouncing our sovereignty, we must articulate wider linkages that will ensure the rights of those left behind. This is what we will be debating over the weekend.

We are reinvigorating the best humanistic traditions of the Left when we put forward a progressive multilateral agenda. We stake a position in defence of a world that is more democratic in the way it makes decisions that affect us all, more generous in defence of those who are vulnerable and more determined to preserve the health of the planet on which we all live.

Our discussions offer a highly visible platform from which to call on the international community to take a stand on issues of great impact and urgency. We will dedicate a whole session, for example, to the interaction between the environment and energy security. I will have the opportunity to present Brazil’s achievements in developing renewable sources of energy. I will reiterate our willingness to provide practical support in making widely available the bio-fuel technology that has shown excellent results in my country.

The second topic to be covered is the outcome of the Doha Round. I hope our discussions will give thrust to my campaign to have a meeting of world leaders convene to unblock negotiations that threaten to retard indefinitely the elimination of rich- country protectionist policies that harm farmers in developing countries.

Both themes eloquently underscore how the presence of the state has become indispensable in fostering fundamental national strategies and multilateral mechanisms of global governance.

President Mbeki deserves our gratitude for providing this unique opportunity to mobilise progressive leaders around an ambitious agenda of reforms that men and women all over the world have long called for and are now demanding.

It is highly significant that this debate is taking place in Africa. Here we have a faithful and dramatic mirror of the challenges that confront the international community at the dawn of the 21st century: unequal globalisation, ethnic and religious tensions, extreme poverty and hunger.

The 10th anniversary of South Africa’s democratic revolution [in 2004] and the consolidation of a vibrant African Union are permanent sources of inspiration and optimism for those who believe in the ability of humankind to unveil new possibilities for social peace, economic stability and collective security for this continent and for the entire planet.

Lula da Silva is President of Brazil. The summit was set to be held this weekend and attended by the heads of state of South Africa, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Ethiopia, New Zealand and South Korea.