Rio, 11/28/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Minister of Development, Luiz Fernando Furlan, declared that the Brazilian Development Bank (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) (BNDES) will play an important role in industrial policy, saying it would be the principal instrument of policy execution.

Furlan went on to say that the BNDES would be strengthened "so that it can provide support for projects in the physical integration of South America." (AB)