Maputo, Nov. 24, 2025 (Lusa) - Brazilian President Lula da Silva said on Monday in Maputo that Brazil is "back" in Africa, resuming its commitment to Mozambique in sectors such as agriculture, food security, energy and biofuels.
"I see enormous potential for joint progress in energy, biofuels, health, agriculture, defence and technology. Brazil has everything it needs to contribute to food security in Mozambique," said Lula da Silva, who today participated in the closing of the economic forum between the two countries in Maputo, as part of his fourth visit to the African country.
Together with his Mozambican counterpart, Daniel Chapo, the Brazilian head of state assured the dozens of businesspeople from both countries who participated in this meeting that his government is "at their disposal with everything" to "resume talks," acknowledging Africa's distancing in recent years from the country's public policies and priorities.
Insisting on his regret at Brazil's neglect of Africa, in an allusion to the policies of the previous government of Jair Bolsonaro, contrary to what he claims to have done in the first two terms of his government, Lula da Silva pointed out that the last two years have been spent "recovering" the country.
"Two years recovering the BNDES [National Bank for Economic and Social Development, which finances Brazil's exports], two years recovering the country's economy, two years recovering the ministries that were closed, two years recovering the credibility that Brazil had lost," he emphasised, addressing his Mozambican counterpart to say that Brazil is once again looking to Africa: "And that is why, my dear friend, I am back in Mozambique. I am back."
A relationship that, he said, should respond to the interests of both parties.
"It is important to remember that we can participate, share and earn money by helping to make things that do not exist. Who can contribute more to the African continent than Brazil to build the roads that are missing, to build the bridges that are missing, to build the hydroelectric plants that are missing, to contribute to development?" he asked.
Lula da Silva also said that investing in Africa makes more sense for Brazil, given the difficulty of entering markets such as Europe.
"Brazil will have more difficulty selling things to Germany, but it sells. It will have more difficulty selling things to the United States, but it sells. But on the African continent, we can not only sell, we can produce things to buy," he said.
Therefore, he added, Brazil can "use the good relationship" it has with the continent to help build Africa's development. "Even though Brazil has not done its homework, Africans really like Brazil. They really like Brazil. Not only Portuguese-speaking countries, but any African country likes Brazil, because Brazil is a country that has no disputes with any country in the world, nor do we want to have disputes," he added.
In his speech, Lula da Silva lamented the reduced weight of the Mozambican market, "very little for a family like Mozambique and Brazil".
"I don't know whose fault it is. Let's not look for who is to blame. Let's try to see if we can recover and make our trade grow again. Our agenda, which once included aeroplanes, is now focused on a few products. Most of them are agricultural. We export chicken and buy tobacco," he said, adding that "it is difficult to understand" why in 2024 Brazil exported more to Tanzania, $50 million (€43.4 million), or to Sierra Leone, $62 million (€53.8 million), than to Mozambique, only $37 million (€32.1 million).
To change this scenario, Lula da Silva said he is counting on the renewed BNDES, [National Bank for Economic and Social Development, which finances Brazil's exports].
"No country can export goods and services without offering credit options. And the BNDES needs to do that again, and we want the BNDES to do that again. Today, the BNDES is fully recovered; it is a rigorous bank. I am sure that with the BNDES, we will be able to do many things here," assured the Brazilian President.
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