MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No Lula-Zelensky meeting in Hiroshima after all

Lula did pledge to support the African Union joining the G20, though

In the end, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not get together with his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Zelensky during the weekend as they were both attending the G7 Summit in Hiroshima as guests. “I think he was disappointed,” Zelensky said Sunday in an ironic tone. The meeting was officially requested by Ukraine on Friday (19/5).

Lula did meet with African dignitaries to whom he pledged the South American country's support to the African Union's being granted a seat on the G20, the Workers' Party leader told Azali Assoumani, President of Comoros, it was reported in Hiroshima.

The G20 is a group pitting the 19 largest economies in the world together plus the European Union, so the African Union would not be the first multi-country alliance to join the forum.

Brazil will assume the G20 presidency in 2023. According to Lula, Africa is “very important for Brazil” particularly from the human point of view, and insisted intended to visit the continent again soon. On Twitter, Lula said Brazil's relationship with Africa was relegated during Jair Bolsonaro's time in the Planalto Palace.

“I spoke with the president of the Comoros Islands and the African Union, Azali Assoumani, who represented Africa at the G7 meeting. I reinforced the will of our government to reestablish relations between Brazil and Africa after a government that ignored the continent. For all the African heritage in our people and culture, and the possibility of exchanges, this is a priority partnership for Brazil,” wrote Lula.

Assoumani celebrated the response and also Lula's enthusiasm for the African continent. For him, the Brazilian president plays a key role in the leadership of developing countries.

Both leaders agreed on the need for greater technological cooperation between Brazil and Africa as a whole. Lula recalled that, during his first two terms in office, Brazil developed closer ties with African nations.