MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula highlights the importance of Portuguese-speaking countries

Lula insisted before the CPLP that sustainability must be addressed in social, economic, and environmental terms

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Sunday insisted before the 14th Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) in São Tomé, capital of São Tomé and Príncipe, an island country off the west coast of Africa, that the group brought together almost 300 million consumers across four continents, with a GDP of US$ 2.3 trillion, Agência Brasil reported.

“The digital and ecological transitions need to be harnessed to generate opportunities and avoid income concentration and inequality. The promotion of trade and investment must guarantee decent, green jobs and aim to diversify our export portfolio beyond commodities. The Angolan initiative to incorporate economic cooperation as a new pillar of our community will help connect our markets,” stressed the South American leader.

At the event, the temporary presidency of the CPLP passed on from Angola to São Tomé and Príncipe for the 2023-2025 biennium to focus on “Youth and Sustainability” after political understanding and the social and cultural agendas together with economic and business cooperation gained momentum under the 2021-2023 Angolan presidency.

On Sunday, the heads of state and government approved the administrative reform of the CPLP, with the creation of the Directorate for Economic and Business Affairs, which will expand partnerships in these areas.

For Lula, the countries are facing the challenge of boosting their economies to guarantee decent work, fair wages, and protection for workers. In this sense, he mentioned that he will announce, in September, alongside US President Joseph Biden, a joint program to generate employment and decent work.

Lula insisted sustainability must be addressed in social, economic, and environmental terms. He cited the results of the Amazon Summit, held earlier this month in Belém (PA), and said that tackling climate change was one of the central axes of Brazil's current foreign policy.

“Many there [in Belém] were young people who are engaged in various ways in the fight against climate change. We need to put people at the center of public policies, creating solutions that pay fairly for the preservation of forests and biodiversity. We must avoid neo-colonialism leading to a new cycle of predatory exploitation of critical minerals and other natural resources. Nor should the ecological transition serve as a pretext for new green protectionism. With their energy and creativity, young people are the driving force in the search for innovative solutions to the challenges of sustainable development,” said Lula.

For the Brazilian president, current times are much more complex for young people, as climate change puts the future of the planet in doubt.

“The new generations live with the uncertainty of a changing job market. New technologies are an extraordinary achievement of human intelligence, but with them, unemployment and job insecurity have reached new heights. The irresponsible use of social networks to spread fake news and hate speech threatens democracy. The cult of individualism leads many young people to disbelieve in collective action. These tendencies have been exacerbated by the pandemic, which has kept children and adolescents away from school and social life, further widening inequalities,” said Lula.

For São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova, the heads of state and government of the CPLP must make a “committed reflection” on youth and adopt “more assertive measures” to combat climate problems and generate opportunities.

“Younger generations are recognized as catalysts for the changes needed to ensure the most sustainable future for the planet. This relationship becomes even more relevant when applied to small island states, which face unique challenges due to their environmental vulnerabilities and the presence of a predominantly young population, eager for new opportunities,” Vila Nova added.

During the Angolan presidency, a mobility agreement was approved between the citizens of the member countries, to facilitate the granting of visas and residence permits and also the movement of people in the territories.

According to Lula, in order to implement this agreement, Brazil will regulate the issuing of visas to the academic, scientific, cultural, and business communities.

The Brazilian president also highlighted the joint work of the CPLP member countries in promoting food and nutrition security, in addition to developing family farming and school feeding programs. Lula also stressed the African continent's capacity to become “an agricultural powerhouse”.

“Brazil will continue to be a partner in this endeavor,” he said. He also said the Mais Alimentos for Africa program for small producers to have access to credit and buy equipment should be resumed.

The CPLP is made up of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor. Portuguese is also an official language in Macau. Created in 1996, the community aims to facilitate integration and cooperation between these nations, both among themselves and for joint action in other international forums.

Brazil and São Tomé and Príncipe have maintained diplomatic relations since the African nation gained independence from Portugal in 1975. The Brazilian embassy in the capital, São Tomé, was established in 2003. The two countries maintain various technical cooperation programs in the areas of education, health, local government computerization, agriculture, adult literacy, defense, urban infrastructure, police, social security, water resources, and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

Brazil and São Tomé and Príncipe also signed Sunday two new bilateral cooperation instruments to facilitate mutual investments and boost diplomatic training.

The CPLP conference was the last stop on the president's trip to Africa. Lula arrived last Monday in South Africa for the 15th Summit of the BRICS Heads of State. Then he paid a two-day visit on Friday and Saturday to Angola. In his speeches, Lula stated that he wanted to strengthen Brazil's relations with Africa and advocated greater cooperation between the developing countries of the global South. (Source: Agência Brasil)