Brazilian President to begin four country African tour; will promote biofuels

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who recently concluded a tour of Scandinavia to promote biofuels, will visit the Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Angola next week. The president will promote Africa as a production source for alternative fuels and feedstocks. In South Africa, Lula will attend a meeting of the IBSA group (India, Brazil and South Africa) to discuss World Trade Organization-related issues. The IBSA countries have called on the US and EU to cut farm subsidies in global trade talks.

Last month, Brazil and Mozambique signed a cooperation agreement for sharing resources in biofuels production and training.

The document, which was signed by Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mozambique’s Armando Guebuza, details a technical exchange between the countries, training, and support from Brazil for production and marketing of biodiesel and ethanol in Mozambique.

A working group established by the agreement will propose an action plan by March 2008.

Brazil continues to establish global ties for biofuels investment and technology partnerships. President Lula has visited more than a dozen countries in recent months to pursue opportunities for Brazilian biofuel expansion. Lula also indicated interest in Brazilian investment in Mozambique tourism, housing and transport.

Mozambique and Brazil are members of the IPA, the association of Portuguese-speaking countries, which include Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor.

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