The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORTER

Brasilia, June 12: Professor Yunus is in Brazil from June 11-14 on invitation from the Brazilian Senate. Professor Yunus came to Brazil after the Senate passed a resolution last year inviting him to address the plenary session of the Senate. On 12 June, the regular proceedings of the Senate took a break and Professor Yunus was invited to address the plenary session when he briefed on the work of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, in speech that was telecast live throughout the country on the Senate TV Channel.

Following the address at the Senate, Professor Yunus was received at Alvorada Palace by Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva. During the two-hour long meeting attended by cabinet ministers and senators, they held discussions on development issues ranging from poverty alleviation, health care, the food crisis, ways of increasing agricultural productivity, climate change and the environment and other common issues facing both Bangladesh and Brazil.

Professor Yunus briefed on the programmes of Grameen Bank. President Lula briefed on the poverty alleviation programmes of the Brazilian government. He sought assistance from Professor Yunus to develop microcredit programmes for the poor in Brazil, particularly for the poorest regions of the country. Professor Yunus briefed the president on health care initiatives of Grameen and sought President Lula's advice and assistance based on Brazilian experience to bring health care for the poor in Bangladesh.

The President immediately called his health minister to join the meeting. The minister was travelling but sent the Vice Minister Dr Gerson Pennay who joined the meeting to brief on government health care programme in Brazil. President Lula promised to send his health minister to Bangladesh in the near future.

The agricultural minister also joined the meeting when discussions turned to the food crisis and how to increase agricultural productivity in developing countries such as Bangladesh.

Professor Yunus told President Lula that he represented the voice of all developing countries of the world on environmental issues and the rights of the poor. For his part, President Lula said Brazil had a lot to learn from the successes in Bangladesh.

Professor Yunus will leave Brazil on 14 June.