RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Italy, and Brazil today signed a letter of intent to strengthen their cooperation in the defense sector, a prelude to a “possible” strategic alliance in the medium or long term, the Italian government said in a statement.
The document was signed on Tuesday after a meeting by videoconference between the Italian Minister of Defense, Lorenzo Guerini, and his Brazilian counterpart, Walter Souza Braga Netto.
Guerini underlined “the importance that the signature represents in the context of a collaboration between the two countries, making it possible to take a major step forward for a solid and concrete cooperation that could find further opportunities for development in the framework of a possible medium-long term strategic partnership”.
During the meeting, the situation of the Italian defense industries present in the Brazilian industrial fabric was discussed, which, according to Guerini, “represent an excellent opportunity for the future development of the defense capacity” of that country.
In this context, the letter of intent is framed precisely. The Italian side “aims to ensure full availability and maximum governmental collaboration in the analysis of quality solutions” that the companies can offer.
The two ministers also discussed the international geopolitical context, particularly the “common effort” in Lebanon, where Italy and Brazil collaborate in the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL).
BRAZIL-ITALY RELATIONS
Both nations enjoy friendly relations, which centers on the history of Italian migration to Brazil.
Approximately 31 million Brazilians claimed to have Italian ancestry (about 15% of the population), making it the largest number of people with full or partial Italian ancestry outside Italy, with the Brazilian city of São Paulo being the most populous city with Italian origin in the world.
Both nations are members of the G20 major economies, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.