Brazil will seek to encourage investments in Africa and will propose the African Union’s entry to the G20

The Brazilian government will encourage investments by Brazilian companies in Africa and support the African Union’s entry into the G20, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said today on Africa Day.

Speaking at an event in Brasilia to commemorate Africa Day and for the closing of the seminar Brazil-Africa: Relaunching Partnerships, attended by African ministers, parliamentarians, and ambassadors, Lula said that Africa’s current dynamism requires Brazil to update its policy towards the continent.

“Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. Its relevance in world trade is significant,” he said, reaffirming Brazil’s support for the African Union’s entry into the G20.

According to the Brazilian president, the African Continental Free Trade Area, which will come into force in 2021, is the largest in the world, with 1.3 billion people and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$3.4 trillion.

Brazil’s bilateral trade with Africa in 2022 was one-third lower than in 2013, when the flow reached nearly US$30 billion.

“Our relationship with Africa is a State policy that crosses the entire Brazilian society. It will be conducted as a priority by the various government departments, with the active participation of academia, the media, and civil society,” Lula commented, adding that Brazil needs to expand its presence in Africa in a lasting way, with the opening of embassies, cultural centers and offices of Brazilian institutions.

Lula also mentioned common agendas and partnership opportunities in environmental issues, energy transition, communications, access to health, and the fight against hunger.

The Brazilian president also said he would propose the extension of the International Decade for People of African Descent convened by the United Nations (UN).

The year 2024 marks the end of this campaign. “Its implementation in Brazil was a commitment.

Lula said he will propose the extension of the International Decade for People of African Descent convened by the United Nations (UN), which ends in 2024.

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