• by Mario Osava
• Monday, June 27, 2011
• Inter Press Service

Celso Amorim, one of the fathers of the IBSA Forum (India, Brazil, and South Africa) says in this interview that for this alliance of three major emerging powers, "Helping the poorest countries is clearly one of its callings.This gives it both its uniqueness and its international legitimacy."

As Brazil's head diplomat during the government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), Amorim led international negotiations, like the Doha Round of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the South American integration process, and the broadening of the G8 from the club of the most powerful countries into the G20, a forum dedicated to the coordination of the global economic strategies while incorporating the emerging nations.

Amorim's achievements led American David Rothkopf in an October 2009 article for Foreign Policy journal to designate him "the best foreign minister in the world", arguing that it was "hard to think of another foreign minister who has so effectively orchestrated such a meaningful transformation of his country's international role"

Foreign minister from 1993-1995 as well, Amorim is a diplomat and university professor of political science and international relations.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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