Notícias
The Minister of External Relations, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, to visit Portugal – Lisbon, April 10-11, 2013
The Minister of External Relations, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, will visit Portugal on April 10-11. In Lisbon, he will be hosted by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Portas, and the Executive Secretary of CPLP, Isaac Murade Miguigy Murargy.
The Foreign Ministers will address the main issues on the bilateral agenda and exchange views on the current state of negotiations for an Association Agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Union, the selection of the future Director-General of the WTO, the global economic scenario, as well as international peace and security issues. They will also consider opportunities to intensify economic relations, including the areas of infrastructure and logistics.
The Brazilian Minister's visit to Lisbon will take place in the context of the "Year of Brazil in Portugal" and "Year of Portugal in Brazil", celebrated from September 7, 2012 to June 10, 2013, with the objective of updating the public opinion about the diversity and dynamism of contemporary cultural production in both countries.
There is a potential to deepen bilateral cooperation in education, science, technology and innovation. The Portuguese universities are currently the second most important destination of the "Science without Borders" scholarship program students.
Bilateral trade has become more balanced, reaching the volume of US$ 2.6 billion in 2012. Brazil is the seventh largest investor in Portugal, having contributed US$ 128 million to the country last year. Brazil is the fourth main destination of Portuguese direct investment abroad, worth US$ 547 million, in the same period.