Brazil’s President Lula plans 2 trips to Africa

The Brazilian leader is due to visit no fewer than eight African countries from August onwards. He aims to strengthen political and economic ties on the continent.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva plans to make these two visits to strengthen economic and political relations with the continent, according to official sources.

Angola, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sao Tomé & Principe are among the countries that the Brazilian leader is expected to visit.

His first tour is expected to coincide with the BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for August in South Africa, while the second could take place on the sidelines of the next African Union Summit, to be held in February 2024.

Brazil also plans to reopen its embassy in Sierra Leone and set up diplomatic representation in Rwanda.

Developing trade

It is clear that Brazil wants to expand its economic cooperation with the continent in line with President Lula da Silva's South-South integration strategy.

During Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's previous terms in office, Brazil stepped up its relations with the continent. As a result, trade between the two sides increased sevenfold in a decade, from $4.2 billion in 2002 to $28.4 billion in 2012.

But the rapprochement between Africa and Brazil has taken a turn for the worse. The economic and political crisis that shook the Latin American country from 2014 onwards is no stranger to this.

Trade between the two parties has plummeted. In 2022, it was limited to 21.3 billion dollars, practically the same level as in 2010.