São Paulo – In an official visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday (3), Brazilian Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services Geraldo Alckmin met with Saudi Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman. According to information from the vice president’s office, a “highlight” of Alckmin’s appointments in the Arab country was the signing of a draft agreement between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Brazil for cooperation in the field of defense.
Other ministers making up the delegation were Rui Costa (chief of staff), Simone Tebet (planning and budget), Carlos Fávaro (agriculture and livestock), Wellington Dias (social development), Márcio França (entrepreneurship, microenterprise and small businesses), and Paulo Teixeira (agrarian development), as well as foreign ministry’s secretary-general Maria Laura da Rocha, ApexBrasil president Jorge Viana, and top officials of public institutions and companies.
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Brazilian, Saudi firms ink protocols in Riyadh
Fávaro said in one of the round of talks that Brazil is committed to produce without deforesting and said there are opportunities in the country to invest in converting degraded pastures in productive areas to ensure the “world-class” production of Brazilian agriculture.
Brazil-Saudi Arabia ties
Alckmin, for his part, mentioned statements of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that Saudi Arabia is Brazil’s leading partner in the Middle East. Lula was in Saudi Arabia in late 2023. The trade between the two countries adds up to USD 7 billion, and mutual investments have grown, the vice president’s office said.
During the visit to Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian delegation signed other three protocols of intent – one for promoting Brazilian food and beverage items at LuLu Hypermarket, a major chain in the Middle East, and two investment promotion protocols of intents between private companies. On Tuesday (4), the Brazilian vice president continues to China, where he’ll have appointments with local officials.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
