My 2024 Agenda Is Strengthening Relations Between Brazil and Egypt: Brazilian Ambassador to Cairo
来源：english.ahram.org.eg;发表于:2024-03-25;人气指数:48
Monday, March
25, 2024
My 2024 Agenda Is Strengthening
Relations Between Brazil and Egypt: Brazilian Ambassador to Cairo
Brazilian Ambassador to Egypt Paulino
Franco de Carvalho Neto spoke to Ahram Online about the prospects of
strengthening economic and cultural relations between the two countries and
coordination on international issues.
Ahram Online: The recent by visit of
Brazilian President Silva de Lula to Egypt and his meeting with President Sisi
was a qualitative step in deepening bilateral relations between the two
countries. What are the most important outcomes of this visit?
Ambassador Paulino Franco de Carvalho
Neto: It was the third visit of a Brazilian Head of State to Egypt after
Emperor Dom Pedro II then President Lula during his first term in 2003 before
his participation at the COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November 2022.
The visit was very successful.
The Presidents discussed bilateral and
international issues and two agreements were signed.
President El-Sisi gave special treatment
by offering Qubba Palace to host the delegation and by bidding farewell at the
airport to President Lula.
AO: Brazil showed a positive stance on
the escalating aggression in the Gaza Strip. What is your country’s vision for
ending the conflict?
Ambassador Neto: Brazil is deeply
concerned with the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the unacceptable toll it
imposes on the Palestinian population.
We also condemned the 7 October attacks
by Hamas.
As a non-permanent member of the UN
Security Council last year, Brazil advocated restraint and resumption of
negotiations towards a two-state solution and still supports this vision in all
regional and global fora.
AO: What are the priorities for
bilateral diplomatic and political relations with Egypt? What initiatives have
been agreed upon to strengthen relations
Ambassador Neto: On 27 February, Brazil
and Egypt celebrated 100 years of diplomatic relations.
President Lula paid a visit to President
Sisi on 15 February and they agreed to take the bilateral relations to the
level of Strategic Partnership.
This year, Egypt is invited to the G20
meetings by the Brazilian presidency.
My 2024 agenda will focus on
strengthening our ties and on activities to commemorate our 100th anniversary.
Agreements are at an advanced stage of
negotiation on technical cooperation, extradition of convicted persons, and
bioenergy and promotion of trade and investment.
In 2022, three EMBRAER E190 aircraft
were incorporated into the fleet of Air Cairo.
Egypt is also a potential market for
Brazilian defence products, with an emphasis on EMBRAER C-390.
A regular flight to Cairo-São Paulo by
EgyptAir may begin next August.
AO: What about economic and trade
cooperation between Brazil and Egypt?
Ambassador Neto: Egypt is one of
Brazil’s most important trade partners in this region at $2.8 billion in 2023.
We describe our trade flux as
‘complementary’ because the fertilizers exported from Egypt to Brazil are used
to produce the food items exported from Brazil to Egypt.
However, we wish to diversify this
exchange, including by applying the Free Trade Agreement between Egypt, which
has been in force since 2017.
AO: Can you shed light on the increasing
cooperation in areas such as agriculture and technology?
Ambassador Neto: During President Lula’s
visit, two bilateral agreements were signed: an MoU on Science, Technology and
Innovation, providing closer dialogue between Egyptian and Brazilian
institutions; and a protocol of equivalence of veterinary inspection, creating
a speedier process of registration of new Brazilian meat exporters, thus
facilitating trade.
AO: How do you see Egypt's recent
accession to the BRICS bloc?
Ambassador Neto: The entry of Egypt and
other new countries into the BRICS group reflects Brazilian support for more
democratic global governance.
It also reflects our perception that
BRICS has become much more relevant in the world 15 years after its creation.
This success is measured in the interest
of more and more countries in joining the bloc.
AO: What about cooperation in the field
of tourism and archaeology?
Ambassador Neto: There is currently a
Brazilian Archaeological Program in Egypt (BAPE) excavating five tombs in Luxor
in cooperation with the Center of Studies and Documentation of Egyptian
Antiquities (CEDAE).
Also, the director of the National
Museum of Brazil came to Egypt to negotiate a loan of antiquities for the
national museum in Rio de Janeiro, which will reopen in 2026.
Ahram Online
Source: english.ahram.org.eg