In an op-ed published in papers in Brazil, Russia, India and China, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva argued that the BRIC Summit demonstrated a “commitment to help provide fresh answers to old problems and to offer bold leadership in the face of inertia and indecision.”
“BRIC is more than just a grouping of big countries, bundled together only by the size of their economies, the vastness of their natural resources and a willingness to project their values and interests.
“We stand out because in recent years our four economies have shown robust growth. Trade between us has risen 500 per cent since 2003. This helps explain why we now generate 65 per cent of world growth, which makes us the main hope for a swift recovery from global recession.
“This places increased expectations on our four countries to exercise responsible leadership in helping rebuild global governance and sustainable growth for all. This is a challenge I am sure we will all accept.”
Expectations for the BRICs are certainly high. Are they too high? The rising powers of today could be the superpowers of tomorrow, but as a group the BRICs have not proven themselves yet.
Photo from Xinhua. Hat tip from Maddie Kershow.
