Brazil and Vietnam have potential in vital areas: Brazilian Ambassador
WVR - Sharing with the World&Vietnam Report about Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira's visit to Vietnam, Brazilian Ambassador to Vietnam Marco Farani emphasized the importances of the visit and potential of cooperation between the two countries.
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| Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on the occasion of the OECD Council Ministerial Conference in France in June 2023. (Source: VGP) |
Could you please share us the significances and main focuses of the Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira's visit to Vietnam?
The visit of the Minister of External Relations of Brazil, Ambassador Mauro Vieira is a very positive sign of the evolution of the diplomatic relations between Brazil and Vietnam in the course of these last three decades and it marks the celebrations of the 35 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The presence of the Minister Vieira has a special significance for the bilateral relations because it reflects the close ties of friendship between Brazil and Vietnam based on a fluid dialogue, transparency, mutual understanding and a long-lasting cooperative relations.
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| Brazilian Ambassador to Vietnam Marco Farani. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
September of the last year, the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Brazil, followed by a delegation of important governmental and private sectors. Actually, it was the first visit of an important Vietnamese leadership in 15 years and now it is demonstrating fruitful results. The oficial visit of the Minister Vieira also is a continuity of the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh mission and a preparation fot the next visit of the President Lula da Silva to Vietnam, in response to the invitation of the Prime Minister during its oficial visit to Brazil.
The agenda of the Minister of External Relations will be very productive, including meetings with the Prime Minister, with the Head of the External Relations Commision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. During these occasions the authorities will take the opportunity to bring up to date important issues of the bilateral agenda such as cooperation in agriculture, trade, defense, energy transition, semiconductors and cultural exchange. In addition, the authorities of both countries will assess the coordination in the multilateral organizations and the evolution of the the present international situation.
In parallel to this agenda, the Minister will open the seminar “Ethanol Talks”, sponsored by the Brazilian Government, the Brazilian Sugar-Cane Industry Association (UNICA) and Brazil Sugarcane Bioenergy Solution (APLA) which will take place at Melia Hotel, on April 10th. The seminar will congregate specialists, international organizations and foreign representatives accredited in this country. This special event will focus on the importance of ethanol as an effective source of clean energy and how its use can contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, besides describing the successful Brazilian experience and leadership in the trajectory of energy transition.
2024 marks 35 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Vietnam. What are the highlights of the bilateral relations?
In the course of three decades, the relations between Brazil and Vietnam moved forward in different areas of cooperation. The economic cooperation had a great impulse and the trade is example of the potential to be explored for the two countries. In 2023, the trade in the two directions reached 7.1 billion USD, representing an increase in 400 million USD in one year.
Brazil is the number one trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America and Vietnam is the first partner of Brazil among the ASEAN countries. Brazil and Vietnam present a high level of complementarity of their economies and an outstanding role in the respective regional associations. Therefore, both can be a bridge to promote deeper connection into the regional framework. At present, Brazil exports more for the five economies of ASEAN than to the five big economies of G7. The Brazilian trade in the course of 20 years increased from 2.9 billion USD to 34 billion USD. The partnership with Vietnam plays an important part to the Brazilian insertion in the region.
Recently a multi-setorial and business delegation from Brazil, as I mentioned before, visited Vietnam and this a signal of increasing interest of the private sector in different projects in Vietnam and about the indication of promising opportunities in the dynamic Vietnamese market.
In this positive environment, the two Governments are looking for different kind of mechanisms to boost trade and economic cooperation. Both Governments acknowledge the importance to deeply understand the regulations and the technical approaches of each other.
Last year, during the Prime Minister trip to Brazil, the Minister of Agriculture of Vietnam and the Minister of Agriculure and Livestock and Food Supply of Brazil sign up the Memorandum of Understanding in Agriculture which aimed at the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed in 2018, created an Action Plan to select priority areas of cooperation and to create an efficient dialogue channel between the two parts to discuss and to analyse the legislation in order to create areas of convergence.
Brazil and Vietnam share interest in cooperation in the management of sustainable tropical forests and sustainable and regenerative agriculture and high technology applied in the agriculture. Recently, Brazil and Vietnam signed important instruments in different areas: diplomacy, education, training, and defense. Brazil and Vietnam also have agreements in the areas of maritime transport, civil aviation and health. In the political and diplomatic spheres, both countries have regular mechanisms of cooperation such as the Joint Committee and the Meeting of Consultation about Issues of Common Interest, which take place on a regular basis.
During 35 years of bilateral relationship, the two countries became closer partners and have not only stressed the value of the expansion of economic and trade ties but also of the cultural exchange and the strengthening of the people-to-people diplomacy.
The cooperation in the sports area is one of the most promising. In the year of the celebration of the 35 years of diplomatic relations, among many other activities, it will occur, for the first time, in Da Nang province a friendly football match congregating the stars of the Brazilian Football team, which will play with their Vietnamese fellows. This is just the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between Brazil and Vietnam in this vibrant area.
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Brazil is the Vietnam’s largest trading partner in Latin America. Could you please comment the potentials of the economic cooperation between the two sides in the coming time? What are the propects of negotiation the Vietnam-Mercosur FTA?
Vietnam has proved to be a very resilient country which faced challenges caused by the post pandemic crises, being, like most of countries in the world, affected by the economic impact and trade and connectivity obstacles as a result of the geopolitical constraints.
Even in face of all these challenges, Vietnam observed 5,1% of economic growth, improved the life of the people, pursuing the target of medium high revenue, modernizing infrastructures and becoming an important technological hub in Asia.
Brazil, in its turn, has also overcame difficulties brought about by international global instability. Even though, the Brazilian economy is growing and the country became a green energy model and an unquestionable source of food security in the world.
Vietnam and Brazil are characterized by political stability, important existing factors for foreign investment attraction and for a booming trade. There are many other sectors flourishing in the country such as technology and green agriculture. It is a wide horizon of opportunities to be explored by both countries especially in new areas of vital importance in the years to come.
During the visit of the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Brazil, the prospects about the relations with Mercosur and Vietnam were discussed and President Lula da Silva stressed the idea to bring Mercosur closer to Asian countries where there is room for a growing trade. Mercosur is a potential market with approximately more than 300 million consumers and ASEAN is even a larger market of nearly 650 million potential consumers. The subject is on the table and the Government of Brazil see in a positive way the Vietnamese approach.
As President of the G20 in 2024, what important priorities does Brazil focus in supporting and promoting the role of developing economies?
The Brazilian Government assigns particular importance of the G20 as a forum to try to find solutions for the world needs and for the countless challenges in the global agenda. The group plays an unique and influential role due to the dimension of the population combined of the GDP of the concerning countries. This year, the Brazilian Presidency of the G20 defined the following priorities: social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty; energy transition and promotion of sustainable development; reform of the institutions and global governance.
Three main initiatives were launched: the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty; Global Mobilization against Climate Change andand, for the first time, a meeting of the G20 Chacellors, open to the participation of all United Nations Members, as an inclusive effort. The main idea of the G20 Chancellors Meeting will be to promote debates about the reform of the global governance.
The Minister of Agriculture of Vietnam is expected to take part in the Group of Minister of Agriculture of the G20, in September and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will be also participanting in the Ministerial Meeting in this next November.
I hope that the G20 will be a great moment to Vietnam and Brazil consolidate positions about a wide range of vital issues for the global future, and most important, for the well being of the people on earth. I am sure that the Vietnam participation in these forthcoming events will bring a constructive approach for the enrichment dialogue for vital issues in the global south agenda.
