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Brazil

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Map of Brazil Last reviewed: 7 January 2009

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with the International Community

Brazil is a key player on the world stage.  It is at the forefront of efforts to deepen Latin American integration, through its membership of Mercosul, the Rio Group, ALADI and other regional groupings.  It was a driving force behind the founding of the South American Community of Nations in December 2004 (which was later renamed the Union of South American Nationa) .  Brazil founded, and plays a co-ordinating role, in the G20 group of nations in WTO negotiations.  It is an active and influential member of the United Nations.  Brazil leads the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and participates in the multinational presence in Timor Leste.  It is the largest member of the community of Portuguese-speaking nations (CPLP).

Under President Lula, Brazil has been particularly active in its engagement with other emerging powers, particularly India, South Africa, China and Russia.  Brazil, India and South Africa have established a more formal grouping, called the G3 or IBSA, and co-ordinate activity across various areas.  Through its role as a leader within Latin America, Brazil has encouraged closer co-operation between the region and the Middle East.  Africa is also a stated priority of President Lula's administration, reflected by high-level visits and an expansion of Brazil's diplomatic representation in Africa.

Brazil supports reform of the United Nations, both the Security Council and more widely.  Brazil has put itself forward as a candidate for a permanent seat in an enlarged Security Council and has the stated support of a significant number of countries, including the UK.  Alongside India, Japan and Germany, Brazil has formed a group to co-ordinate and lobby in support of their respective candidatures.

Relations with the UK

Brazil is a rapidly emerging global player of great importance to British interests - economic, political and commercial.  A prosperous, export-orientated Brazil would be one of the biggest global suppliers of agricultural products and raw materials, the foremost regional producer of manufactures and a major market for profitable British trade and investment. Brazil is also a key country for climate change, sustainable development and biodiversity.

The UK and Brazil have a broad, deep and sustained relationship.  The UK was an early supporter of Brazil's independence in the nineteenth century, helped found the Brazilian navy, built railways and encouraged Brazil to abolish slavery. There are still small long-term British communities and significant British investments. In the 21st century Brazil is a key partner of the UK on a wide range of global issues from combating drugs trafficking to promoting an open and expanding global economy, and sustainable development underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights.

Cultural Relations with the UK

The British Council has been helping to bring together the people and organisations of Brazil and the UK since 1945. It celebrated 60 years in Brazil in 2005.  It is the United Kingdom's international and educational relations organisation.

The British Council works to develop stronger ties and greater mutual understanding between the UK and Brazil as well as seeking to improve the perceptions of the UK throughout Brazil.  There are presently some 70 staff working at British Council offices in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Recife and Curitiba. Its work includes promoting creativity in the arts and sciences, all facets of education and English language learning support, and aspects of governance and society such as judicial reform and development of regulatory frameworks of government.

British Council, Brazil

Recent Inward Visits

President Lula, accompanied by a delegation of Brazilian ministers, visited the UK on a State Visit from 7-9 March 2006. This was the third Brazilian State Visit to the UK and the second in less than 10 years. The President was greeted by the Queen and met with the Prime Minister for high level talks. During the visit, Brazil and the UK signed several Memorandums of Understanding in areas such as education, healthcare, and creative industries. The visit culminated with two Joint Statements issued by the President and the Prime Minister on trade and on sustainable development and climate change.

Recent Brazilian visitors to the UK also include Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, Justice Minister Marcio Thomas Bastos, Antônio Palocci (then Finance Minister), Mines and Energy Minister Dilma Rousseff (now Head of the Civilian Household), Minas Gerais Governor Aecio Neves and and  Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral among others.

Recent Outward Visits

2008 - In March 2008 Prof. John Beddington visited Brazil, his first overseas visit as Chief Scientific Adviser.  In September 2008 John Hutton, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform also visited for the third JETCO ministerial meeting.  Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics, visited Recife and Sao Paulo in November 2008 to promote UK/Brazil sporting links, and Lord Hunt, DEFRA/DECC Minister of State, visited Sao Paulo in November 2008 to attend an International Biofuels conference hosted by the Brazilian Government.  Alan Campbell, Home Office Minister for Crime Reduction, participated in the Third World Congress on the Exploitation of Children in Rio de Janeiro on 26 and 27 November.  On 28 November, he made a brief visit to Brasilia, meeting the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Justice, Admiral Moura Neto, the Commander of the Navy, and Roberto Troncon at the Federal Police.  FCO Minister for South America Gillian Merron visited Brazil in December 2008.

2007 - In March 2007, Sir David King visited Brazil to formally launch the UK-Brazil Year of Science and Innovation, an initiative agreed during President Lula’s State Visit to London one year earlier, and also to discuss climate change.  In April the Duke of York came to Brazil at the personal invitation of President Lula.  He spent six working days in Brazil as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.  The Princess Royal made a three-day visit in July of the same year.  The Lord Mayor visited Brazil in August 2007 to raise the profile of the City and the UK generally and to give further impulse to bilateral co-operation.   In September 2007 FCO Minister Kim Howells visited Brazil to conduct High Level Political Talks.  This was the first bilateral talks to be made by a Minister of Gordon Brown’s government.

2006 -  Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the Government Economic Service, visited Brazil in April 2006 to help inform his Review on the economics of climate change (the finalised Review was launched in October).  Stern paid a follow-up visit in November 2008 to promote transition to a low-carbon, high-growth economic model.  In July 2006, Margaret Beckett made her first bilateral visit as Foreign Secretary to Brazil.  In September 2006 the Minister for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling also visited to launch the UK-Brazil Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).  Meanwhile, in November 2006, the Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Amos, visited Brazil to keep up the momentum of the UK’s bilateral engagement with particular focus on poverty, race and gender issues.

 

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