Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) has a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on May 21, when the Vietnamese leader attends the expanded G7 Summit in Hiroshima. (Photo: VNA)Reporter: Could you please share your expectationsabout Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to Brazil?
Ambassador Marco Farani: I think the bilateral relations between Braziland Vietnam is very promising although we have been very distant from eachother. In the last few years, but I remember that President Luiz Inácio Lula daSilva who is now in his third mandates as the President of Brazil visited Vietnambefore and I think he might come back again.
He was invited by the President of Vietnam, and next year, we have 35 years ofdiplomatic relations and I think it's a good opportunity to receive thePresident of Brazil here in Vietnam.
Brazil and Vietnam maintain a comprehensive bilateral cooperation,characterized by balanced relations and mutual respect. Recently, PresidentLula da Silva and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met at the G7 meeting, held inHiroshima last June. At the opportunity, President Lula invited the PrimeMinister to visit Brazil.
It is with great joy and enthusiasm that we are waiting for the Prime Minister'svisit in the last week of the current month. The visit of the Prime MinisterPham Minh Chinh will bring the two countries closer to each other and there area lot of fields in which we can work together.
Reporter: Currently, Brazil isVietnam's leading trade partner in Latin America. Could you comment on thepotential for bilateral economic cooperation in the coming time?
Ambassador Marco Farani: Our trade balance is around 7 billion USD, butthere is enormous potential to be explored in the areas of agriculture, greenenergy and defense. Brazil is one of the largest economies in the world,ranking 9th or 10th place in the world in terms size of its economy.
The presence of Brazil exports to the countries of Southeast Asia can beattested by the growth of our trade with the region (from 15.1 billion USD to 28.9billion USD). In the first half of 2022 alone, Brazil's trade with ASEANincreased by 91%, registering USD 17 billion. In 2022, Brazil became a Partnerof the ASEAN Sector Dialogue, counting with the valuable support of Vietnam. Itake this opportunity to reiterate our gratitude to the government of Vietnam.
Brazil has been optimistic about the growth and economic dynamism of Vietnam. Vietnamis a fast-growing country, probably be a middle-income country in the next 10 years.Brazil has 220 million inhabitants with large populations. Brazil is rich innatural resources, and then also has a booming agricultural. So there are a lotof areas in which we can work together.
Another area in which I think we have bright partnership to engage which isrenewable energy. In Brazil, 93% of its electricity comes from renewable energyand that is something that we can share with Vietnam and can help Vietnam tolower its emissions in the future.
Brazilian Ambassador to Vietnam Marco Farani. (Photo: VNA)AmbassadorMarco Farani: Brazilis an example of a green economy. With regard to the environment, it is worth amentioning that about 90% of the Brazilian energy matrix today is renewable, atrue inspiration and hope for the whole world, in which the energy transitionis urgent, in order to fulfill the commitments made of net zero emissions ofCO2 by 2050. Thanks to the use of ethanol, which began to be developed inBrazil about fifty years ago, when the first oil crisis occurred, Brazilcurrently has the largest and most complete decarbonization program in theworld, 93% of the cars produced in Brazil are today powered by renewable andgreen fuel.
So we can share most of these experiences with Vietnam, especially in ethanolto achieve goal of the net-zero emissions by 2050. Green economy is a challengefor every country and also is a commitment every country has made.
Reporter: What are your expectationsabout the prospects of cooperation between the two countries at both bilateraland multilateral levels in the coming time?
Ambassador Marco Farani: I think the prospects are more trade, moretourism between our countries, cooperations in agriculture, energy andeducation. I also hope for more political alignment, political dialogues. Bothcountries belong to the Southern Hemisphere. Wehave seen aspirations and both countries are leaders and have specificimportance in these regions. So it's very important that our two leaders tomeet and start dialogues with these.
In the international sphere, Brazil has just assumed the Pro-tempore presidencyof Mercosur where it intends to work on deepening the intra-bloc dialogue,aiming at the expansion of free trade between regional markets. The FTA betweenMercosur and Vietnam is a goal by both sides. President Lula has alreadydeclared that he will work with the other leaders in Mercosur in order toaccelerate the agreement with Vietnam.
Starting next year, Brazil will assume the Presidency of the G20, uniqueopportunity to foster coordination among members in defense of a more just,sustainable and peaceful international community./.
VNA
