Costa do Sauipe, Brazil  - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that the Latin American and Caribbean region "will not attend passively" the debates on the global crisis, but will instead seek to make its voice heard in the definition of a new international financial structure.

"We will play an important role in the construction of a new political and economic architecture that is international, multipolar and multilateral," he said.

The financial crisis is set to be - along with the food crisis and climate change - among the central topics in the summits that are set to take place Tuesday and Wednesday in the northeastern Brazilian resort of Costa de Sauipe.

Lula stressed that the diversification of trade is crucial to reduce South America's dependency.

"The development of south-south trade is key to our development," he noted. (dpa) c