President Lula to participate, in Ethiopia, in meeting about climate financing for agriculture and food security

On the first day of his State visit to Ethiopia, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will participate on Friday, 16 February, in Adis Abeba, in the event “Climate financing for agriculture and food security: implementing the Nairobi Declaration and results from COP28”.

As a result of the Climate Summit in Africa, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in September last year, the Nairobi Declaration became the foundation for Africa's common position on investments to promote the sustainable use of natural resources in the continent.

In the same way, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28) resulted in advancements for Africa, including a fund for losses and damages, adaptation, and climate financing. For climate financing, in particular, the COP28 Presidency supported the inaugural meeting of the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation Initiative (FAST), organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Having this in perspective, during this Friday meeting, the leaders will discuss and make a call to action related to the financial paths, as well as the political interventions innovations and knowledge, to improve climate resilience and adaptation in agricultural and food systems in Africa.

Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and FAO, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Uganda, the meeting will gather heads of State from Brazil, Angola, Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Mozambique, and Uganda; representatives from AUC, FAO, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and other UN agencies; heads of non-governmental organizations and civil society, Regional Economic Communities, farmers’ organizations, indigenous peoples, and academia.

AFRICAN UNION — In addition to his State visit to Ethiopia, President Lula will also participate as a guest in the African Union Summit. The seat of the organization, which became an official member of the G20 in 2024 with the support of Brazil, is located in Addis Ababa. With dozens of heads of State and government attending, the Brazilian President has been invited to several bilateral meetings, which have not yet been defined.

Brazilian Ambassador Carlos Duarte, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, stated that Ethiopia is a country with whom Brazil can develop stronger trade relations. “The country has had a strong and significant economic growth, and is an important market. Brazil may benefit from a greater presence in Ethiopia,” he explained.

According to the Ambassador, the invitation for the African Union Summit may be interpreted as a sign of prestige, as generally only African rulers participate. “It is a recognition of the priority that President Lula has been giving to Africa in his foreign policy,” he highlighted.

ENTOURAGE – President Lula traveled to Egypt and Ethiopia in the company of Ministers Mauro Vieira (Foreign Affairs), Wellington Dias (Social Development and Assistance, Family, and Hunger Combat), Luciana Santos (Science, Technology, and Innovation), Anielle Franco (Racial Equality), Silvio Almeida (Human Rights and Citizenship), Vinícius Marques de Carvalho (Brazilian Office of the Comptroller General [Controladoria-Geral da União - CGU]), and the deputy chief-advisor from the Special Advisory, Audo Faleiro.