The figure was presented this Wednesday (16) by the Itamaraty’s Asia and Pacific secretary, Eduardo Paes Saboia, during a briefing on the trip that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will make to South Africa, Angola and Sao Tome and Principe. .
In Johannesburg, South Africa, Lula will participate, between the 22nd and 24th of August, in the 15th BRICS Summit. From there, he will head to Angola on the 25th and 26th. Then, on the 27th, he will visit São Tomé and Príncipe, where he will participate in the 14th Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
According to ambassador Saboia, the Brics summit will be attended by 40 heads of government or state from the African and Asian continents, as well as Latin America and the Middle East. All with a confirmed presence for this, which will be the first post-pandemic face-to-face meeting. Saboia said that only Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in the meeting virtually.
The ambassador highlighted some issues that should guide the meeting between the bloc’s representatives. One of them is related to the entry of new members. “Criteria and principles to be adopted to support the entry of new members into the group will be discussed”, he said.
Saboia recalls that this is not a new topic. “Since 2011, there has been discussion about how to interact with countries outside the bloc. The need to organize and establish criteria was then observed”.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, according to the ambassador, should only be discussed internally, during the so-called “retreat”, when the heads of state and government of the Brics will meet closed. “Certainly the topic will be discussed in more depth than [should appear] in the declaration [at the end of the event]”, Saboia anticipated.
Another issue to be discussed by the group will be the use of local currencies or an eventual Brics reference unit for commercial transactions.
“It is likely that there will be some result in this area”, anticipated Saboia, referring to the plans for the New Development Bank (NDB), better known as Banco do Brics. “This is a very important asset for the block,” according to Saboia.
Angola and Sao Tome
Meetings are planned with the Angolan president, João Lourenço; and with Angolan and Brazilian businessmen
Regarding the trip to Angola, the ambassador said that the meeting will reinforce the strategic partnership between the two countries, which unfolds in several sectors. “Angola is an important country in the African context, with which since 2010 we have had a strategic partnership and relationship density”.
Meetings are planned with the Angolan president, João Lourenço; and with Angolan and Brazilian businessmen. “Sixty Brazilian companies have already confirmed their presence at a business event”, informed Saboia. In addition, the signing of acts and memorandums in the areas of agriculture, data processing, health and education are planned.
In São Tomé, Lula will participate in the 14th Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). Saboia highlighted the mutual support that the countries in this group usually give each other in international decision-making forums.
Plataforma with Agência Brasil
