On the occasion of the unprecedented visit of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva to Egypt, Al-Ahram Weekly takes a closer look at the political, economic and trade ramifications of the five-nation tour of Arab countries. Also featuring is an exclusive interview with Brazil's foreign minister
The Latin touch
During his Middle East tour, Brazilian President Da Silva is seeking closer links between the Middle East and Latin America, writes Mahmoud Murad
Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva
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President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva came to Egypt this week as part of a tour that also took him to Syria, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Libya. The visit may have been brief, but it was focussed and purposeful. For some time now, the Brazilians have set their sights on closer ties with the Middle East, particularly Egypt. When Celso Amorim, his foreign minister, came to Egypt last June, he was enthusiastic. "Egypt is the largest and most influential country in the Arab region and the Middle East, and Brazil -- which has a similar status in Latin America -- wants to see relations between the two countries improve in every possible way," the minister said.
As a result of the visit, efforts are underway in Cairo to announce the formation of the Egyptian-Latin Forum, a non- governmental body aimed at enhancing cultural, economic, and other ties between Egypt and Latin America. But things are not to stop at that. Lula suggested to President Hosni Mubarak that the first ever Arab-Latin American summit be held in Brazil next May. "An excellent idea," said the Egyptian president.
If it takes place, the summit would be unprecedented. The Arab and Latin people have much in common, both historically and politically. Some historians have claimed that Ancient Egyptian ships arrived in Latin America some 5,000 years ago. More recently, both histories are marked by a shared sense of national liberation. And with 16 million Latin Americans tracing their roots to Islam, it would not be difficult for people in the two regions to boost ties in culture and trade. Futhermore, as most Latin Americans have been consistent supporters of Arab rights, the political ramifications bode well too.
Brazil shares many of the Arab views on the international scene. It calls for updating the UN in a way that would make it carry out its tasks more efficiently and uphold international legitimacy. On the matter of terror, Brazil supports Egypt's call for an international conference and insists that the international community come up with a definition of what is terror and who is a terrorist, a position which Egypt has long endorsed.
A former miner with a wide support among the workers, Lula came to power last October with a left-leaning agenda. He promised to combat crime and create more jobs in a country of 180 million citizens and a large but top-heavy economy. Brazil's foreign debts of $165 billion equal 67 per cent of the GDP. Although ranked eighth among industrial countries, Brazil has a recurring problem of inflation, which shot to 2,000 per cent in 1994, but is now under control at 6 per cent.
Despite his leftist, or extreme leftist, tendencies, Lula selected his aides from across the political spectrum. His foreign minister, Celso Amorim, was Brazil's envoy to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Trade Minister Luiz Fernando Furlan was chief executive of a major meat-processing company before Lula called him to office. The two men accompanied the Brazilian president on his Middle East tour.
On Monday morning, the Brazilian president held talks with President Mubarak, followed by a working luncheon. Meanwhile, his accompanying delegation met People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Surour and other parliamentarians, and suggested to them the formation of an Egyptian-Brazilian parliamentary committee. Following the customary Pyramids tour, the Brazilian president met with a number of Egyptian ministers and businessmen for talks on trade.
According to 2002 figures, annual trade between the two countries stood at $345 million, of which $320 million were Brazilian exports to Egypt and a mere $25 million were Egyptian exports to Brazil. Egypt is proposing various joint ventures and a number of feasibility studies looking at ways to enhance trade between the two countries, and increase Egyptian exports.
On Tuesday, the Brazilian president reviewed bilateral ties with Prime Minister Atef Ebeid. He then visited the Arab League headquarters for a meeting with Secretary-General Amr Moussa. President Da Silva also addressed the permanent envoys of the Arab League on the merits of cooperation. His main pitch: the Arab-Latin American summit.
