São Paulo – A parliamentary delegation from the United Arab Emirates, led by the president of the Federal National Council (FNC), Saqr Ghobash, is on a visit to Latin America and attended a series of meetings in Brasília this week. The group met with authorities such as the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos França (pictured above); Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes; President of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD, Minas Gerais), and Senator Marcos do Val (Podemos, Espírito Santo), president of the Brazil–UAE Parliamentary Group in the Senate.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published information on its social networks on the meeting between Carlos França and the delegation, saying bilateral ties between the countries are going through the best historical moment, boosted by two Brazilian presidential visits to the UAE, the last one during the Brazilian participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai world exhibition. The Foreign Ministry also informed the UAE were the leading destination for Brazilian exports to the Middle East in 2021, with USD 3.3 billion in bilateral trade, and the Arab country has invested USD 10 billion in Brazil.
Rodrigo Pacheco revealed it was the first visit of an Emirati Legislative head to Brazil and, at the meeting, Saqr Ghobash insisted on highlighting his country’s appreciation for Brazil. According to the president of the Brazilian Senate, at the meeting, the two also spoke about the parliamentary group formed between Brazil and the UAE and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as an instrument of rapprochement for greater integration between the countries.
Emirates News Agency (WAM), the official news agency of the UAE, stated in the meeting with Pacheco, Ghobash told about the work of the FNC, which seeks to align its activities with the guidelines and vision of the UAE in different areas, including supporting peace, safety, and stability in the region and around the world. He also highlighted the critical role parliamentarians play in representing countries.
According to the agency, Ghobash talked with minister Paulo Guedes about strengthening cooperation between Brazil and the UAE, in line with the ongoing strategic partnership between the countries, and coordination on issues of mutual interest. According to WAM, in the conversation, they highlighted the deep-rooted bilateral relations between Brazil and the UAE.
The group’s activities in Brazil were accompanied by the ambassador of the UAE to Brasília, Saleh Alsuwaidi. WAM informed that the delegation is visiting Latin America from September 12 to 22. The trip includes visits to Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia, where the group will discuss with the presidents of the countries’ parliaments strengthening cooperation. The FNC has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino), which granted the council observer status, and a cooperation agreement with the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC).
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro