"We need to make a commitment to export sustainability," says Lula in Colombia

The agenda included discussions on protecting the Amazon rainforest and strengthening a well-structured, joint environmental agenda. Emphasis was given to the importance of establishing agreements in social and economic areas capable of expanding bilateral relations between the two countries and working on partnerships that promote cooperation between the police and military forces of the two nations.

The desire to unite the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Amazon makes Colombia an indispensable partner. We need to take responsibility for defining which South America we want, which country we want, and which integration policy we want"

LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA
President of the Republic

At the end of a comprehensive agenda, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was certain: "The vocation to unite the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Amazon makes Colombia an indispensable partner. We need to take responsibility for defining which South America we want, which country we want, and which integration policy we want".

» Statement by President Lula after a bilateral meeting with the President of Colombia

» President's speech at the closing of the Brazil-Colombia Business Forum

President Lula's visit to Bogotá was marked by an intense agenda, which included a bilateral meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, participation in the Brazil-Colombia Business Forum and attendance at the opening of the 36th Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo), the largest publishing and cultural event in the neighboring country.

 The meeting between the two heads of state was also marked by the signing of international acts, including memorandums of understanding and terms of technical cooperation in various areas, and served to underline Brazil and Colombia's commitment to working together in a wide variety of sectors, mainly on issues related to biodiversity.

"We need to make a commitment to export sustainability. When President Petro took part in the Summit of Heads of State in South America (in May last year), he said that South America could be the 'Saudi Arabia of clean energy'. And President Petro is absolutely right. Most of the investment flow between our countries is already concentrated in the energy sector," said Lula, speaking at the Brazil-Colombia Business Forum.

NO FEAR – Recalling the progress made in trade relations between the two countries over the last 20 years, Lula sent a message to the businesspeople attending the Brazil-Colombia Forum: "My proposal to Colombian businesspeople and Brazilian businesspeople is: let's stop being afraid of each other. Let's bear in mind that Brazil and Colombia are in a position to triple our trade flow".

 At the end of the meeting, while talking to journalists, Lula once again highlighted the potential of the partnership between the two countries in the energy field. He went on to list some crucial sectors on this agenda: "In the energy transition, we have the extraordinary possibility of attracting the whole world to contribute to investments, to the development of a new energy matrix. Whether it's green hydrogen, ethanol, biomass or solar energy".

Promoted by ApexBrasil and the trade promotion agency ProColombia, the Brazil-Colombia Business Forum featured panels on important topics such as technology, reindustrialization and productive integration, food security and infrastructure. Around 300 people from the Brazilian and Colombian governments, as well as the private sector and over 20 business leaders from different sectors in both countries, took part in the Forum. 

When analyzing the trade balance and the prospects for business growth between the two countries around a green and decarbonized economy, Gustavo Petro said that the Amazon must unite Brazil and Colombia. "The Amazon jungle should not be seen as an abyss between the two countries. It is just the opposite. It has to be a bridge," said the Colombian president.

REAPPROXIMATION – Lula's visit to Colombia marks another stage in the process of rapprochement between the two countries, which began with Gustavo Petro's presence at the Brazilian leader's inauguration ceremony on January 1, 2023, and then with the Colombian head of government's visit to the meeting of South American presidents in Brasilia at the end of May last year. In addition, Lula will be present at the closing of the Amazon Technical-Scientific Meeting in July 2023 in Leticia, Colombia, an event prior to the Belém Summit.

Brazil and Colombia are aligned on building a collaborative environmental agenda since South America is currently at the heart of discussions on the environment and the fight against climate change. The two nations stand out for being the countries that have reduced deforestation the most in the world and will soon be at the center of global environmental discussions. Colombia will host the UN Biodiversity Summit, COP 16, in October this year, and Brazil is preparing to host COP 30 in Belém in 2025. 

In addition to their affinities around the environmental agenda, Lula and Gustavo Petro have converging views on important issues such as South American integration, valuing traditional communities, and attention to border populations. Proof of this is that Brazil has once again taken part in the Peace Dialogue Table between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army.

ACTS – Brazil and Colombia signed international acts on Wednesday, including memorandums of understanding and terms of technical cooperation in various areas, such as the rights of LGBTQIA+ population, migrants, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people living on the streets; combating human trafficking; agrarian development and family farming; communication and technology and cartography, among others. 

FILBO – Also on Wednesday, Lula took part in the opening of the 36th Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo), which this year has Brazil as its guest of honor. As such, Brazil will have its own large pavilion, which will be used to exhibit books by Brazilian authors. The Ministry of Culture will be present with a large program featuring more than 60 authors, as well as a cultural program curated by poet Stephany Borges. This will be the third time that Brazil has been honored at the fair, following the 1995 and 2012 editions. The fair, Colombia's largest publishing and cultural event, runs until May 2 and this year's theme is "Reading Nature". Attendance is estimated at over 600,000 people.

EXPORTING DAY – Between Wednesday and April 24, Apex will promote the launch of the Exporting Day program in both the Colombian capital and Medellín, the country's second largest city. The aim is to boost business with local entrepreneurs. The initiative will promote a commercial immersion in Colombia for a delegation of representatives from 13 Brazilian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies to deepen their knowledge of the main trends in the sector.

TRADE EXCHANGE – The two countries maintain a significant trade exchange, with Brazil being Colombia's third-largest partner, and Brazilian exports to the country have been on an upward trend since 2003. In the past year, trade between Brazil and Colombia totaled USD 6.1 billion, with Brazil exporting USD 3.8 billion worth of goods to Colombia and importing USD 2.3 billion.

 Brazil is the main source of Colombian car and car parts imports (19% of the total) and paper and cardboard (19% of the total); and the second for cereals (21% of the total). Among Brazilian agricultural products exported to Colombia, sales of corn and unroasted coffee stand out, accounting for 12% and 5% respectively of the total exported by Brazil in 2023.

The bilateral relations between these two countries are marked by a growing enthusiasm across various sectors to deepen the integration of their national production chains. This trend is particularly notable in industries like automotive, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agri-food, defense, and herbal products. There is a considerable potential for boosting Brazilian exports, spanning both industrial and agricultural domains. Presently, approximately 70 Brazilian companies are actively operating within the country.