UAE, Brazil issue joint statement following state visit

The UAE and Brazil have issued a joint statement following the official visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the Emirates on April 15, 2023. The statement is as follows:

“1. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, received His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, on 15th April 2023. The President of the Brazilian Senate, the Governor of the State of Bahia, Cabinet members, as well as business representatives, joined the presidential delegation to explore opportunities to expand the strategic partnership between the two nations.

2. During the visits, the following instruments were signed:

i) Memorandum of Understanding For Cooperation between the Rio Branco Institute and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy for Diplomatic Training;

ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil on Climate Action;

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iii) Brazil-UAE Joint Statement on Enhanced Multilateral Ambition and Action on Climate Change;

3. In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, His Excellency Jerônimo Rodrigues, Governor of State of Bahia, and His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala, exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding between State of Bahia and Refinária de Mataripe on the Macauba project, a sustainable agro-industrial initiative that foresees an investment of up to US$ 2.5 billion in biodiesel production and will benefit thousands of families in rural areas of the state of Bahia.

4. Both leaders agreed to further deepen the strategic partnership between the UAE and Brazil across key areas, including renewable energy, science and technology, sustainable development, education, climate action, multilateralism, defense, aviation, space, food security and agriculture, transport, logistics, and cooperation. The two sides discussed the growing bilateral economic agenda and explored avenues to expand trade and investment. They also engaged in an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues.

5. The two leaders reiterated the importance of the UAE and Brazil as key gateways for regional and global markets. In this context, Brazil, as one of the founding members of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and its next chair, expressed its readiness to share the UAE proposal of initiating an exploratory dialogue with its MERCOSUR partners. The leaders also discussed efforts to advance cooperation between the BRICS and the UAE.

6. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and coexistence and reaffirmed their rejection of intolerance, hate speech, discrimination and all forms of extremism. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency President Lula emphasized that Brazil and the UAE will continue to strengthen bridges of cooperation, partnership, and dialogue, in order to achieve stability and prosperity for all.

7. As the host of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) this year, the UAE welcomed the announcement of Brazil’s bid to host COP30, in 2025. The two countries expressed their commitment to working together to ensure that the UNFCCC multilateral process paves the way for a course correction on climate ambition and action.

Both sides agreed to maintain regular dialogue and discussed their respective initiatives to address climate change and drive sustainable development for all nations.

8. Recognizing the important role that multilateralism can play in addressing global challenges, the two leaders affirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation across multilateral institutions and international organizations. As elected nonpermanent members of the United Nations Security Council for the 2022-2023 term, both countries agreed to continue their close communication and consultation on regional and international issues of mutual interest within the United Nations Security Council.

Both sides agreed to continue cooperation in the context of the United Nations Security Council on their shared priorities of Women, Peace and Security, promoting tolerance and coexistence, conflict prevention and peaceful solutions, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, as well as addressing intolerance, hate speech, discrimination and all forms of extremism and improving the working methods and procedures of the Security Council.

Acknowledging that the United Arab Emirates will hold the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council in June 2023 and that Brazil will hold the Presidency in October 2023, both pledged mutual support for their respective Presidencies.

Both sides agreed on the critical importance of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and expressed support for its mandate and its bridging role with the main bodies of the United Nations.

The two sides reaffirmed their rejection of terrorism and underscored the importance of strengthening multilateral responses to countering terrorism, including through the UN Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee and agreed to continue cooperation in this regard.

Brazil expressed its commitment to hosting a successful G20 Summit in 2024 and its support for the UAE’s continued contribution to this critical international body. Both sides welcomed the opportunity to work closely in support of the Brazilian G20 Presidency priorities next year.

9. The two leaders reaffirmed their shared belief that the reform of the United Nations Security Council is important and that engagement in the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform, including within their respective groupings, is necessary in order to move to text-based negotiation.

10. Recognizing the critical importance of the bilateral defense relationship between the UAE and Brazil, the two sides affirmed their determination to develop defense cooperation, enhance joint initiatives in the area of research and development, and promote the exchange of expertise to combat cybercrime.

11. The two leaders, affirming the importance of bilateral cooperation for the peaceful and sustainable use of space, agreed to further enhance cooperation in space in a mutually beneficial manner.

12. The two leaders also discussed the importance of the civil aviation sector, air connectivity and the vital role it plays in catalyzing cooperation and advancing economic and people-to-people ties.

His Excellency President Lula expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in receiving him and his delegation.”