Brazil’s Chancellor Visits Africa to Spur Cooperation in South Atlantic

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Chancellor Ernesto Araújo is traveling to four West African countries this Sunday, December 8th, where he will discuss with local authorities the implementation of agreements in the areas of security, defense, trade, and investment.

The Chancellor will visit Cape Verde, Senegal, Nigeria, and Angola and should return to Brazil on December 13th.

According to Itamaraty’s Bilateral Negotiations secretary for the Middle East, Europe and Africa, Ambassador Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega, the Chancellor intends to “reactivate” Brazilian cooperation in the field of defense and security with the Southern Hemisphere countries.

“In recent governments, Brazil has downplayed this vector of Brazilian diplomacy, the security of the South Atlantic. The plan is to reinstate this cooperation,” he said.

Gulf of Guinea

According to Ambassador Kenneth da Nóbrega, during his visit to African countries, Minister Ernesto Araújo will announce that Brazil “wishes to be a full member of the so-called Group of Most Friendly Countries of the Gulf of Guinea”. The goal is to contribute to increasing the security of the coastal area of the countries that make up the region.

The Gulf of Guinea includes nine countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Principe).

The coastal area close to these countries, where more than 95 percent of the ships carrying Brazilian export products circulate, is subject to constant attacks by pirates and gangs who carry out attacks on ships’ cargoes.

According to Ambassador Kenneth da Nóbrega, the Navy considers the risks involved in shipping in the Gulf of Guinea to be one of the “greatest threats to Brazil’s strategic environment”.

According to the diplomat, another reason for the growing concern of Brazilian authorities over the region is the constant advance of jihadism, which is reaching the shores of West Africa. Jihadism is an expression commonly used to define radical religious sectors that choose to attack institutions, ships, trains, and planes.

Investment and trade

According to Kenneth da Nóbrega, Minister Ernesto Araújo’s visit to West Africa is also intended to promote trade between Brazil and Cape Verde, Senegal, Nigeria, and Angola. During his stay in Nigeria and Angola, the minister will take part in two Brazilian trade missions in these countries.

Foreign trade

During the first 11 months of 2019, Brazil exported US$408 million to Angola and imported US$140 million, representing a surplus of US$267 million. Brazilian exports to Cape Verde reached approximately US$23 million while imports were inexpressive. The surplus was US$22.7 million.

Brazil’s exports to Nigeria reached US$530 million, while imports reached US$907 million, which resulted in a trade deficit of US$376 million. Exports to Senegal reached US$121 million. The balance was US$116 million.

Source: Agência Brasil