Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will travel to Africa later this month for a series of meetings in South Africa, Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe, according to reports.
The leader-to-leader meetings in Angola promise to be fruitful, with the two countries set to sign agreements spanning the maritime and land transport, education, and agriculture sectors.
One major joint project involves developing Angola’s Cunene Valley using Brazilian funds and insights into public policy. The aim is to spur a green revolution, as was achieved in Brazil’s own São Francisco Valley – where a semi-arid region has been transformed into a productive mix of family and commercial farms.
The Cunene Valley project is considered an anchor for Brazil’s relationship with Angola.
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Lula will attend the BRICS Summit between 22 and 24 August, in South Africa. The first in-person meeting for the group (comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the summit will focus on developing criteria and guidelines for adding new members.
After the BRICS summit and his meetings in Angola, Lula will head to São Tomé and Príncipe for the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) summit. It is centred on the theme of youth and sustainability.
The trip will be Lula’s first official visit to Africa during his current stint as president. His predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, was the first Brazilian president to not set foot on the continent at all. Lula has reportedly expressed his hope that visiting the three countries will “[demonstrate] that Brazil will resume its strong relationship with the African continent.”
