Brasília, 12/12/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazil's Development Bank (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) (BNDES), which will have a budget of R$47 billion next year, has become one of the biggest in the world, says its president, Carlos Lessa. Lessa was commemorating the 2004 budget, which rose from R$34 billion this year.

Speaking at the international conference on "Pathways to a New Social Contract," Lessa declared that the bank will fulfill its historical goal of financing the expansion of Brazilian productivity. (AB)