With German president, Lula discusses environment, G20 Presidency and economic recovery

Investments in infrastructure via the New PAC (Growth Acceleration Program), advances in the process of improving Brazil's economic scenario, reaffirmation of the priority given to environmental protection and the prospect of playing a leading role in the energy transition.

These were some of the topics of conversation between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday morning, December 4, in Berlin. The bilateral agenda is part of the visit to Germany for the Second Meeting of High-Level Intergovernmental Consultations.

"Brazil once again has a government that works and is a positive reference in the world. We talked with Minister Fernando Haddad (Finance) about progress in the economy and with Minister Rui Costa (Office’s Chief of Staff) about investments in the New PAC. We also talked about the resumption of environmental protection with Minister Marina Silva (Environment and Climate Change) and Minister Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs) about Brazil's presidency of the G20," affirmed President Lula through his profile on the social media X.

During the dialogue, the German president thanked, on behalf of Germany and the world, the resumption of the protection of the environment and the Amazon with the policies adopted since January 2023 by the Federal Government.

Lula is in Berlin for a series of working agendas. Around two dozen agreements are planned between the two countries, in areas such as the environment, climate change, global development, agriculture, bioeconomy, energy, health, science, technology and innovation.

“We are going to strengthen our partnership and cooperation in many areas. We are returning to the dialog with the Germans that had been abandoned by previous governments, one of the largest and most advanced economies in the world”, said Lula.

HISTORIC - The High-Level Consultations are the most elevated German-Brazilian mechanism, which held their only meeting in Brasilia on August 19 and 20, 2015. The then Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Brazil accompanied by seven Ministers and five Deputy Federal Ministers.

The program of the Brazilian delegation began on Sunday, with a working dinner hosted by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. On Monday, the Brazilian president will have meetings with the President of the Federal Council and Governor of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, as well as meetings with businesspeople and a press conference.

CONTEXT - Relations between Brazil and Germany are experiencing a special moment in 2023. The process of revitalizing the strategic partnership is visible in the multiple visits by German authorities at the highest level. President Steinmeier, Chancellor Scholz and seven of the 16 German ministers, including Federal Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, visited Brazil.

President Lula and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who presides over the High Level Consultations, will hold their fifth meeting in the German capital in 2023.

SCENARIO - According to the International Monetary Fund, Germany is now the 3rd largest economy in the world. The two countries are partners in trade and investment, especially in the industrial sector. Between January and October 2023, trade reached US$ 15.98 billion. In 2022, the trade flow exceeded US$ 19.07 billion.

Germany was Brazil's fourth largest source of imports last year. More than a thousand German companies operate in Brazil. According to data from the Central Bank, Germany is the 8th source of direct investment in Brazil, with US$ 23.73 billion in stock.

Since 1974, Brazil and Germany have held annual meetings of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation. The Mechanism's jubilee, with its 50th meeting, will take place in Germany in 2024. Germany is Brazil's largest partner in technical and financial cooperation.