President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Thursday (25th) that the current dynamism of Africa requires Brazil to modernize its policy towards the continent. Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. Its importance in global trade is telling,” he said, affirming Brazil’s support for the African Union’s accession to the G20.
According to the president, the African Continental Free Trade Area, which will enter into force in 2021, is the largest in the world, with a population of 1.3 billion, and a GDP (gross domestic product – the sum of goods and services produced) of 3 US dollars. $4 trillion. Brazil’s bilateral trade with Africa, in 2022, will be one third less than the value in 2013, when the flow was nearly US$30 billion.
Lula participated in a luncheon to celebrate Africa Day and to conclude the Symposium Brazil-Africa: Relaunching Partnerships, at Itamaraty Palace, in Brasilia. Among the guests were state ministers, parliamentarians, ambassadors and officials from African countries.
Over the course of four days, the participants in the symposium discussed issues of development cooperation, educational exchange, gender equality, entrepreneurship, social inclusion, creative economy, diversity and contemporary international challenges. The event was promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation, associated with Itamaraty.
“Our relationship with Africa is a state policy that permeates Brazilian society as a whole. It will be implemented as a priority by the various government portfolios, with the active participation of academia, the media and civil society,” Lula said, adding that Brazil needs to expand its presence in Africa in a permanent way, with the opening of embassies and centers Cultural and offices of Brazilian institutions such as Embrapa, Apex, Senai and Fiocruz.
“It also means supporting the internationalization of Brazilian companies, in order to respond to the African call for investment, knowledge generation, employment and income,” he noted.
The President also noted common agendas and opportunities for partnerships on environmental issues, the energy transition, communications, access to health, and the fight against hunger.
Fighting racism
For Lula, the promotion of racial equality is also an ongoing focus that connects national policies with states’ international activities. He once again denied the racist attacks against the Brazilian striker Vinicius Junior, from Real Madrid, last Sunday (21), in a duel with Valencia over the Spanish championship.
“We will not tolerate racism, whether against Brazilians or against Africans in Brazil,” he said. “We will resume our leading role in international initiatives for people of African descent,” the President added.
Lula stated that he would propose an extension of the International Decade for People of African Descent advocated by the United Nations. The year 2024 marks the end of this campaign. “Its implementation in Brazil has been affected by the negligence of the authorities. We will propose to extend the initiative at the next General Assembly [em setembro]”, He said.
vacancy in the G20
Within the framework of the resumption of international relations, last Sunday (21), during his visit to Japan, President Lula met with the President of the Comoros, Ghazali El Othmani, the current President of the African Union. On this occasion, he announced Brazil’s support for the demand of the group of 54 African countries for a place in the Group of Twenty, similar to the European Union, which is a member of the group.
“We already have participation from South Africa, but the group’s representation can be expanded by entering the African Union and other countries on the continent,” said Lula.
In November this year, Brazil will assume the interim presidency of the G20, which is currently held by India. The G20 consists of 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the Kingdom the United States and the United States) and the European Union. Members account for about 85% of global GDP, more than 75% of world trade and about two-thirds of the world’s population.
Arguing for expanding emerging countries’ participation in global governance, Lula said something similar is happening with international financial institutions that do not meet the needs of developing countries.
“Many are still under conditions pressure and choked with unpayable debts. We want a BRICS bank [bloco formado por Brasil, Rússia, Índia, China e África do Sul] to establish itself as a financing alternative and we will strengthen our engagement with the African Development Bank,” the President added.
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