During a visit to Mozambique, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defended the restoration of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) capacity to finance the internationalization of Brazilian companies. According to the Workers’ Party member, Mozambique has infrastructure gaps that need to be filled, and Brazil has companies able to contribute.
The announcement was made on Monday (24) during Lula’s state visit to Mozambique in Maputo. On this occasion, nine agreements were signed to strengthen Mozambican institutional capacities in the areas of development, health, education, diplomacy, entrepreneurship, trade promotion, civil aviation, legal assistance and agroforestry services.
Despite the signing of the agreements, Lula said the partnership “can and should” go further. The head of the Brazilian Executive said: “Mozambique is a developing country, which still has infrastructure gaps that must be filled. Its growth depends on ports, roads, factories and transport lines. Brazil has dynamic companies, which have the necessary conditions to contribute. For this to be possible, it needs a decisive deregulation.”
According to Lula, no large country can export services without offering credit options. That’s why, he says, Brazil is working for the National Bank of Brazil to restore the ability to finance the internationalization of Brazilian companies.
“The trade flow that Brazil maintains with Mozambique is much smaller than with other Portuguese-speaking countries. This is inexcusable between two very familiar markets,” he commented.
The Brazilian president said the two countries can work together in two areas critical for the planet: protecting forest biomes and energy transmission. Finally, he said that Brazil is “ready” to cooperate with Mozambique in the production of biofuels, “combining job creation and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.”
Lula also referred to the fight against organized crime and said that this was “another challenge that threatens our societies.” He stated, “The Brazilian government worked with intelligence to dismantle criminal networks and stifle their sources of funding. The Brazilian Federal Police is internationally recognized for its ability to track illicit assets and combat money laundering.” According to him, the PFLP is ready to share its experiences and expand its cooperation with Mozambique.
When he advocated deepening relations between Brazil and Mozambique, Lula also claimed that cooperation between the two countries could no longer fluctuate between moments of closeness and distance. He commented, “My visit to Mozambique means that Brazil is back and that Brazil wants to cooperate with Mozambique in all fields: industry, science, technology, agriculture, energy and everything it needs. And especially in two areas vital for humanity: health and education.”