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Brasilia, January 7 (RHC)-- Brazil's Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the country will once again adhere to Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), which is an inter-governmentally negotiated agreement prepared under the auspices of the United Nations.

In 2018, during a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), 152 countries ratified the GCM. Among the South American nations was Brazil.  Shortly after, however, Brazil withdrew from this compact in 2019, when Jair Bolsonaro became president of the country.  His decision was part of a far-right agenda in which multilateral commitments used to be seen as expressions of "globalism."

Lula da Silva, who assumed the Presidency on January 1, said that his foreign policy's priority will be "the return of Brazil to the world" under the banner of multilateralism.  “We recognize that all migrants, regardless of their migration status, are human rights holders, and reaffirm the need to protect their safety and dignity.” 

As part of this reincorporation into the global community, the Lula administration is also strengthening international programs.  On Wednesday, for example, the Health Ministry announced it will resume the operation of the "More Doctors" Program from Cuba.  Established by the government of Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016), this program allowed the participation of Cuban doctors in primary health care throughout the Brazilian territory.

In the coming months, however, the new phase of the program will give priority to the hiring of Brazilian health professionals who have been trained in the country or abroad.   Subsequently, authorities will hire foreign doctors.