Lula meets with the Prime Minister of Palestine and participates in the African Union Summit next Saturday Policy

Today, Saturday (17), President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohamed Shtayyeh, and is participating in the African Union Summit, in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The Brazilian President was supposed to meet with Antonio Guterres, but the Secretary-General of the United Nations canceled the trip.

On Friday (16), the President visited a museum and participated in a ceremony and meetings with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmedi and an event on climate financing for agriculture and food security. Lula arrived in Ethiopia on Thursday afternoon (15).

This is Lula's second tour of African countries since he assumed office as President of the Republic. He had activities in Egypt on Wednesday (14) and Thursday (15). Last year, Lula visited South Africa, Angola and Sao Tome and Principe.

In the 2022 election campaign, Lula included among the guiding principles of his government's program the plan to “rebuild” relations between Brazil and African countries. Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, did not visit African countries during his term (2019-2022).

The African Union joined the G20 with the support of Brazil, and obtained the same status as the European Union within the entity. The headquarters of the African Union is located in Addis Ababa. With the participation of dozens of heads of state and government in the summit, the President will hold bilateral meetings.

Lula is scheduled to meet with the President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, and may also meet with the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the President of Kenya, William Ruto.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lula’s speech should enhance opportunities for cooperation between African countries and Brazil, adding that during the Brazilian presidency of the G20, the three central axes of the group were:

• Social inclusion while combating hunger and poverty;
• Sustainable development and energy transition;
• Global governance reform.

On this last point, Lula, for example, defended that at least one African country has a representative on the UN Security Council. Lula also advocated for Brazil, Germany and Japan to join the group.

President Lula traveled to Egypt and Ethiopia accompanied by the ministers: