ADDIS ABABA – Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, called on African leaders to enhance cooperation between Africa and Brazil to foster mutual progress and effectively confront global challenges. Addressing the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, he emphasized the shared heritage and potential for collaboration between the two regions.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the link between Brazil and Africa is strengthened by the significant Afro-Brazilian population, which accounts for over 200 million Brazilians. He underscored the importance of jointly crafting a pathway within the evolving international landscape, aiming to establish a novel framework for global governance capable of addressing contemporary issues.
The President critiqued the outdated approach of minimal state intervention, highlighting the necessity for governments worldwide to support agricultural and industrial development actively. He pointed out the importance of governmental role in guiding the digital and energy transitions, areas critical for future development.
Lula da Silva lauded the achievements of the BRICS alliance in facilitating cooperation among emerging economies and stressed the vital role of developing nations in solving global crises, particularly those affecting the impoverished and migrants most severely. He explicitly rejected extreme right-wing solutions to these challenges, advocating instead for inclusive social projects that guarantee prosperity, freedom, democracy, and sovereignty for everyone.
Emphasizing the need for a more representative United Nations Security Council, Lula da Silva called for greater inclusion of African and Latin American countries. He recognized Africa’s vast potential and committed to Brazil’s engagement with the continent to achieve mutual growth. The President outlined Brazil’s dedication to regaining political and economic sovereignty, enhancing participatory democracy, and fighting hunger and poverty, alongside promoting inclusive education.
Furthermore, Lula da Silva expressed Brazil’s eagerness to partner with African nations in key areas such as food production, renewable energy, healthcare, and environmental conservation, with a particular focus on the protection of the Amazon and Congo basins.
To facilitate these ambitions, he proposed the establishment of an advanced cooperation post with the African Union, marking a concrete step towards strengthening ties between Africa and Brazil.