Ambassador Carlos Duarte, Secretary for Africa and Middle East in the Ministry of External Relations of Brazil, has conveyed Brazil’s strong interest in expanding its relations with Zimbabwe, focusing on education and healthcare, following successful collaboration in agriculture.
This enthusiasm was expressed during the inaugural session of political consultations between Brazil and Zimbabwe in Harare. The meeting is part of Brazil’s broader efforts to re-engage with Africa, underscored by President Luiz Inácio Rula da Silva’s recent address to the African Union.
Zimbabwe has reaped the benefits of Brazil’s More Food for Africa Programme, designed to bolster food self-sufficiency among small-holder farmers. Ambassador Duarte highlighted the strides made in agricultural cooperation and expressed openness to exploring collaboration in additional sectors, particularly health and education.
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Acknowledging the growing interest among Zimbabwean companies in engaging with their Brazilian counterparts, Ambassador Duarte signaled potential for economic and commercial relations to thrive. He also disclosed that a Brazilian business delegation would participate in the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in April, with a trade mission scheduled for June.
Ambassador Carlos Duarte underscored the alignment between Brazil and Zimbabwe on various international issues, such as multilateral organization reform and addressing common challenges like development and climate change.
In response, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Rofina Chikava, expressed gratitude to Brazil for its support and solidarity, particularly in condemning the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. She acknowledged Brazil’s assistance in the agriculture sector and stressed the importance of dialogue and collaboration between the two countries to tackle shared challenges and achieve mutual goals for global betterment.