Brasilia – Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on Wednesday (14th) for a two-day visit. The official schedule begins on Thursday (15th), when there will be a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, signings of bilateral agreements, and a press statement. Lula will also visit the head office of the Arab League.
The fight against inequality and hunger, the energy transition and climate change and the reform of international institutions, as well as expanding trade between Brazil and African countries, are among the topics that President Lula is expected to address on this trip to the continent, which also includes a visit to Ethiopia.
Egypt
The trip to Cairo marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Egypt. The country is currently Brazil’s second largest trading partner in Africa, behind only Algeria.
In 2023, bilateral trade between the countries reached US$ 2.8 billion – with US$ 489 million in Egyptian products imported by Brazil and US$ 1.83 billion in Brazilian products exported.
The Brazilian government expects trade between the nations to increase in the coming years, following the opening of the Egyptian market to various Brazilian products in 2023, such as fish and derivatives, poultry meat, cotton, bananas, gelatin, and collagen.
The African country’s government is expected to authorize new slaughterhouses and refrigeration facilities in Brazil for the exportation of beef soon. The opening of an air route between the two countries, connecting São Paulo to Cairo, will also be discussed.
Ethiopia
On Thursday, at the end of the day, the Brazilian delegation will depart for Ethiopia, where President Lula will take part, as a guest, in the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, on the 16th and 17th. Bilateral meetings are also planned. In addition to the Brazilian president, the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is expected to participate in the summit, too.
Translation by Lucas de Andrade
