Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva confirmed he will appoint former President Dilma Rousseff to head the New Development Bank (NDB) when there is a vacancy, Lula said on Thursday referring to the institution the BRICS group of emerging economies established.
Rousseff, a member of Lula's leftist Workers Party, succeeded him in the presidency in 2011 and won re-election three years later, but ended up impeached in 2016 during a harsh recession on charges she manipulated budget accounts.
Lula told CNN Brasil that her impeachment resulted from lack of "dialogue and patience," praising the first female president of Latin America's largest economy as "very competent."
The multi-lateral development bank is currently headed by Marcos Troyjo, who served in the Economy Ministry under former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Troyjo's term ends in 2025 and he would have to step down for Rousseff to be appointed. Her nomination would also require approval from the board of governors representing the so-called BRIC countries.
"If it's up to me, she will be (president of the NDB)," Lula said in the interview. "She is very competent technically... It will be a wonderful thing for the BRICS and for Brazil".
The NDB is comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, plus recent additions Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Uruguay. The countries rotate in picking the head of the bank.
(Reporting by Maria Carolina Marcello; Editing by Josie Kao)
