02/24/2024 – 15:24
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will arrive next Wednesday (28) in Georgetown, capital of Guyana, where he will participate, as a special guest, in the closing of the 46th Summit of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom)> Created in 1973 , Caricom is one of the oldest regional integration organizations operating in the world.
Composed of 15 countries, the organization has a population of around 19 million people, in a territorial area the size of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. “As a whole, it is a group of countries with its importance. We have historical, ethnic and cultural affinities that bring us closer to the region”, highlighted ambassador Gisela Padovan, secretary of Latin America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), in an interview last Friday (23). “It is a particularly important group when we need some support, because it is coordinated in international organizations, votes together on candidacies and resolutions and represents 7% of UN seats. [Organização das Nações Unidas] and 40% from the OAS [Organização dos Estados Americanos]”, he added. According to data from the Brazilian government, Brazil's commercial relationship with Caricom jumped from US$ 1 billion to US$ 2.6 billion in the last two years, demonstrating potential for expansion.
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In his speech, Lula is expected to address common themes on Brazil's agenda, which this year presides over the G20 – a group of 19 richest countries in the world, in addition to the European Union and the African Union – with the Caribbean countries.
“There is a thematic coincidence. For example, the issue of food security is very important for the Caribbean, which imports most of the food it consumes – around 80%. There is also the issue of climate change. It is a region very susceptible to the effects of climate. It is an opportune moment to talk about these topics and President Lula was invited to talk about them”, explained Minister Elio Cardoso, director of the Department of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean at MRE.
In addition to participating in the regional meeting, Lula is expected to meet with the host, the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, as part of a state visit to consolidate a commercial relationship that has grown significantly in recent years, after the neighboring country discovered large oil deposits and gas. Nicknamed the South American Dubai, Guyana saw enormous growth in its economy, of almost 400%, between 2021 and 2023, due to oil, going from a Gross Domestic Product (GDP, sum of goods and services) of US$8 billion to more than US$40 billion. Because of this boombilateral trade between Brazil and Guyana jumped 1000% in the last three years, especially due to the import of oil and oil products, rising from US$70 million to US$1.3 billion.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
From Guyana, on Thursday (29), Lula travels to the small Caribbean island country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, where he will participate, the following day, March 1st, in the opening of the 8th summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), which will be held in Kingstown, the capital.
Despite being one of Celac's founding countries, Brazil's previous government left the community, made up of 33 countries. A reintegration into the bloc It was one of President Lula's first foreign policy measures at the beginning of 2023, upon assuming his third term.
“This meeting takes place in a context of revitalization of Celac, which after leaving Brazil was paralyzed for a while”, said minister Daniela Benjamin, director of Regional Integration at MRE. “At this summit we will have the opportunity to make an assessment of the progress that is being achieved and find out how cooperation will be expanded from now on,” she noted. The Itamaraty Palace reported that Lula is expected to have bilateral meetings with other heads of government, such as the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.
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