One thing I know my Brazilian colleagues are waiting for is a public commitment by President Obama – while in Brazil – to support Brazilian membership to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).  Obama while in India gave strong vocal support to India’s bid for membership.  But it appears that he has yet to do so while on this current trip to Brazil.

Such a failure would not go unnoticed by Brazilian IR experts and policy makers.  And such a failure would not go unnoticed by IR experts more generally.  Why?  Simple.  The support for India would be support for a UNSC membership that would remain uniformly NWS – Nuclear Weapons States – while public support for Brazil would extend US support to a non-nuclear weapons state – NNWS.

It is therefore a public declaration that should come sooner rather than later.