“We achieved sovereignty through our independence,” highlights President Lula during the 1st CELAC-Africa Forum in Colombia

The President of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, participated on Saturday, March 21, in the 1st High-Level CELAC-Africa Forum, held in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. On the occasion, Lula emphasized the importance of sovereignty for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. For the President, it is essential to prevent the erosion of multilateralism in these regions. “We are no longer colonized countries. We achieved sovereignty through our independence. We cannot allow anyone to interfere with or violate the territorial integrity of each country,” Lula said.

“We must never forget that today’s world is experiencing the greatest concentration of conflicts since the Second World War. We must not lose sight of the fact that, while USD 2.7 trillion was spent in 2025 on weapons and wars, 630 million people are still going hungry. Millions of people still live without electricity and without access to education. Millions of women and children are left abandoned, without documents, without a home, not even a homeland, as a result of these fratricidal wars,” the Brazilian President emphasized.

During his speech, Lula urged leaders to commit to fighting hunger and poverty in the region and across the African continent. “This is the war we must wage to end hunger in Africa and Latin America, to eradicate illiteracy, to overcome the lack of electricity. This is the war we must wage,” he stated.

We are no longer colonized countries. We achieved sovereignty through our independence. We cannot allow anyone to interfere with or violate the territorial integrity of each country”
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Republic of Brazil

Another issue highlighted by the Brazilian President was access to rare earth elements in countries of the Global South. He indicated that critical minerals can serve as assets for economic development and, therefore, their primary exploitation must be carried out by the countries that possess them. “This is the opportunity for Bolivia, for Africa, and for Latin America not to accept being merely exporters of minerals, so that we have the chance to develop our countries.”

HISTORICAL REPARATION — At the 1st CELAC-Africa High-Level Forum, the President also emphasized that the moment strengthens debates that recognize historical reparations as a priority, in line with the African Union’s position. “Despite having implemented several public policies on racial equality, such as quota laws, Brazil is still far from repaying its debt to Africa for 350 years of slavery. Confronting, together, the colonial legacy is the best tribute we can pay to our shared history,” President Lula said.

The forum takes place in a context of growing fragmentation and the resurgence of unilateralism. On the occasion, the Brazilian President pointed out that there is strong synergy between the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and CELAC’s priorities. “The next stage of this rapprochement points to the organization of a Summit of CELAC and African leaders.”

The high-level meeting was preceded by three days of discussions involving dozens of experts from both regions. The 17-panel sessions promoted debates across a wide range of topics, including development cooperation, agriculture, energy, climate, health, security, historical reparations, entrepreneurship, memory, youth, trade, the economy, public and private investment, and infrastructure.

“The bridge between our regions is not built solely on agreements and declarations. It is built on people, on a diaspora that unites us. Brazilian geographer Milton Santos taught us that territory is not merely land, but living history. Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa form a single historical and cultural space, shaped by resistance and the struggle for dignity,” said the Brazilian President.

FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER — During his speech, Lula proposed five areas of action that could be included in a future agenda between CELAC and Africa, the first being the fight against hunger. According to the President, 340 million people suffer from hunger in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. “This is an unacceptable reality in a world that produces enough food for everyone,” he said.

He emphasized that Latin America and the Caribbean have demonstrated that it is possible to make progress through effective public policies. “Africa holds enormous agricultural potential and can become a major global food producer. Brazil is committed to contributing to this effort.”

The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation [Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária /EMBRAPA] was one of the highlights of the President’s speech. Lula underscored the resumption of cooperation with the African continent, marked by the opening of a Cooperation Office in Addis Ababa. The President also recalled key milestones between Brazil and African countries, such as the 2nd Brazil-Africa Dialogue on Food Security, the Fight Against Hunger and Rural Development, which encouraged the creation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. Launched during Brazil’s G20 Presidency in 2024, the initiative already has the support of 103 countries.

CLIMATE CHANGE — The fight against climate change and environmental preservation was the second pillar highlighted by President Lula during the forum. He recalled that Brazil and Egypt recently hosted Conferences of the Parties (COPs), and that Ethiopia will host an upcoming edition.

“Although we are not historically responsible for global warming, we are among those most affected by extreme climate events. We share a common concern about desertification. We also share the responsibility of protecting the world’s two largest tropical rainforests: the Amazon and the Congo,” the President said.

He also noted that Latin America and the Caribbean, together with Africa, have cooperated in various forums to combat environmental crimes, now the third-largest source of revenue for organized crime. “We are working together to operationalize the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (Fundo Florestas Tropicais para Sempre / TFFF). This initiative has already mobilized nearly USD 7 billion. These are not donations. The profits generated will be shared between tropical forest countries and investors.”

ENERGY — The third pillar of joint action is the energy transition. “Science has already proven that without a transition to low-carbon economies, it will not be possible to avoid the climate crisis,” the President said. In Lula’s view, the enormous potential of Global South countries for the production of clean energy from solar, wind, and hydropower sources still contrasts with limited access to electricity in many parts of these regions.

“The creation of an international biofuels market opens opportunities for local development and enables the decarbonization of the economy. Our countries also hold significant reserves of critical minerals, which play a strategic role in the transition to low-carbon economies. Cooperation among countries that possess these resources will be vital to adding value within our own territories and preventing neo-extractivist incursions.”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE — Another pillar presented by the President was artificial intelligence. Lula argued that the continents cannot fall behind in harnessing its benefits for agriculture, health, education, and public security. “This challenge must become another strategic aspect of our partnership. Investments in digital infrastructure will be key to overcoming chronic technological gaps in our regions,” he said.

“We have a vibrant youth, affordable energy, and the necessary strategic resources. But to make this technological leap, we must strengthen endogenous capacities in data governance, digital infrastructure, and human resource development.”

On the occasion, Lula also noted that the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan includes two funding lines for cooperation with Africa and Latin America: USD 20 million for joint projects and USD 10 million for access to Brazilian AI infrastructure. “We need a cooperation model that aligns digital governance with respect for fundamental rights, strengthening our sovereignty.”

He also recalled the recent approval of the Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents, aimed at ensuring the protection of children in the digital environment. “Regulating the digital environment is not a mechanism of control. It is, above all, an instrument for inclusion and the protection of people. To address hate speech, misinformation, child pornography, and misogyny, Brazil is updating its legislation.”

MULTILATERALISM — The interest in rapprochement between the two regions is rooted in historical, cultural, and ethnic affinities, while also reflecting the objective interests of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean in expanding cooperation, trade, and investment among dynamic economies.

The dialogue builds on initiatives such as the South America-Africa (ASA) mechanism, which enabled three high-level meetings between 2006 and 2013, and complements more recent exchanges between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union (AU).

During his speech, President Lula emphasized that, although the continents represent nearly half of the world’s countries and a quarter of the global population, they continue to be disproportionately affected by an unequal international order shaped during the eras of colonialism and apartheid.

“It makes no sense that Latin America and Africa do not have adequate representation on the UN Security Council. The wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and many other conflicts divert us from the path of development. They generate economic, social, and political effects worldwide. They drive up energy and food prices. We must keep the South Atlantic free from external geopolitical disputes,” he said.

He also recalled that a ministerial meeting of the South Atlantic Zone of Peace and Cooperation (Zona de Paz e Cooperação do Atlântico Sul / ZOPACAS), to be organized by Brazil, is scheduled for April 9.