Lula holds bilateral talks at Brazil-Caribbean Community summit

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held bilateral talks with the leaders of Guyana, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Barbados, Friday (13) in Brasília. The meetings took place within the framework of a broader Brazil-Caribbean Summit.

GUYANA - In a meeting with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, President Lula discussed the implementation of infrastructure projects designed to expedite the flow of Brazilian goods throughout the Caribbean region. Key among these initiatives is the paving of the Boa Vista-Georgetown highway. The leaders also addressed international mobilization efforts concerning biodiversity conservation and forest protection, laying groundwork for the upcoming COP30.

HAITI - President Lula reiterated to the president of Haiti's Presidential Transition Council, Fritz Jean, that Brazil is willing to mobilize international support in favor of the Caribbean country's stabilization and development. Fritz Jean thanked the Brazilian President for providing training to 400 Haitian Police officers, starting in August, and requested technical cooperation to recover Haiti's food-producing capacity.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - President Lula and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader discussed potential partnerships in areas such as ethanol production and defense, including the procurement of Brazilian-manufactured equipment. They further evaluated strategies for the decarbonization of the energy matrix, with a particular focus on increasing the percentage of alcohol incorporated into gasoline.

BARBADOS - With Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, President Lula emphasized the critical role of oceans in the global climate agenda. He also commended Barbados's proposals for reforming the international financial architecture, which aim to secure funding for a just energy transition. Mottley highlighted that new air connections between Brazil’s North and Northeast regions and Barbados are expected to unlock numerous commercial opportunities. She also noted that Bridgetown, the country's capital, holds significant potential to serve as a distribution hub for Brazilian products across the entire Caribbean region.