At a Glance
- Lula brings Brazil and Africa back together, focusing on trade and diplomacy.
- Petrobras is working on more energy projects in Nigeria, South Africa, and other places.
- Brazil wants South-South cooperation to lessen the power of the West in the world.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is reviving his country’s ties with Africa, placing the continent at the center of his foreign policy.
Speaking in Addis Ababa, Lula pointed to Africa’s deep cultural and historical connections with Brazil while underlining its role in the future of the global economy.
“Africa, with its 1.5 billion inhabitants and immense resources, has enormous possibilities for the future.
Brazil wants to grow alongside Africa but never dictate its path,” Lula said.
Lula’s outreach is more than just trade.
He thinks that Africa is an important partner in creating a multipolar world, where the Global South’s growing economies may speak with a greater voice.
His backing for groups like BRICS, which includes South Africa and Ethiopia, shows how South-South cooperation can work.
Trade and Energy Partnerships Regain Strength
Trade between Brazil and Africa developed quickly throughout Lula’s first two mandates.
From 2003 to 2010, Brazil’s exports to Sub-Saharan Africa surged by almost 25% each year. Overall trade grew from $4.2 billion to $25.9 billion.
Brazil has also more than doubled the number of embassies it has on the continent, which suggests that it intends to expand its diplomatic ties.
Relations got worse under previous President Jair Bolsonaro, but Lula’s return to office in 2022 has given people hope again. Petrobras, Brazil’s government-run oil firm, is once again the best at getting businesses from Africa.
The company has bought holdings in offshore fields in South Africa and São Tomé and Príncipe, and it is also looking for chances in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
Petrobras CEO Magda Chambriard said Africa could become the company’s largest development region outside Brazil, noting geological similarities between the two continents.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu recently confirmed Petrobras’ plans to re-enter the Nigerian market, a move seen as a major step in strengthening energy cooperation.
Possibilities and Problems
The renewed collaboration is part of larger attempts to strengthen economic and political links across the Global South.
New air connections, such as Air Peace’s direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo, are already making it easier to do business and travel.
But there are still problems to solve. Analysts say that inadequate rules, political instability, and worries about safety could make people less likely to invest.
Igor Macedo de Lucena, CEO of Amero Group and a fellow at Chatham House, said, “Some legal frameworks are still too weak, and inflation and uncertainty keep companies from investing.”
Experts think that Lula’s strategy could change the way Brazil and Africa get along, even though there are hazards.
They say that better cooperation between the African Union and Mercosur might open up big prospects in commerce, energy, and investment.
