Brazilian companies are responsible for 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Angola, said on Thursday (29) the ambassador designated to that country, first class minister Afonso José Sena Cardoso, whose designation received a favorable report from the Committee on External Relations and National Defense (CRE). In his speech, he highlighted the growth of Brazilian investments in Angola and defended stronger relations with “our next door neighbor”, on the other side of the Atlantic.

The ambassador observed that the African country – after 41 years of civil war - has experienced an intense economic growth - its GDP should have an expansion of 28% in 2007. Local oil production reaches two million barrels a day and the country has 0.7% of the world reserves. Aware of the great potential of Angola for economic growth, companies as Odebrecht, Furnas and Petrobras have been in the country since civil war, which began soon after the independence, in 1975.Vale do Rio Doce started operations in the country in 2005.

- In only five years, since the end of the civil war, there was an explosive growth that attracted everyone’s attention to Angola’s economy. The expansion of Brazilian investments means the creation of more jobs here and there - affirmed Cardoso, whose indication had as ad hoc rapporteur senator Jarbas Vasconcelos (PMDB-PE).

Bilateral trade increased 150% between 2005 and 2006, rising from US$ 520 million to US$ 1.3 billion. The main products exported by Brazil are sugar, petrol, steel tubes for pipelines and tractors. Angola sold to Brazil, in 2006, US$ 464 million in petroleum.

World Cup

The fact that 2010 World Cup will be hold in South Africa was pointed as an incentive to bilateral relations by the Brazilian ambassador designated to Pretória, first class minister José Vicente de Sá Pimentel. His designation, that also got favorable report from CRE, had as rapporteur senator Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB-MG) - to whom the World Cup will serve to improve relations between the two countries.

Pimentel, currently ambassador to India, told senators that in Itamaraty he is called "ambassador Ibas" in a reference to the diplomatic initiative that unites India, Brazil and South Africa. He said he believes in the future of the group, which gathers "three important countries, three democracies, in three different continents."

According to Azeredo’s report, " bilateral commercial relations have not been following the powerful pattern of political relations." In spite of the trade growth among the two countries, which increased from US$ 659 million in 2003 to US$ 1.8 billion in 2006, South Africa, in the senator's opinion, is still "a small partner in Brazilian external trade”.

CRE also approved a favorable report to the designation of second-class minister Luiz Antonio Fachini Gomes as ambassador to Guatemala. In his speech, he highlighted the deepening of relations between Brazil and Central America in the last four years. He observed that Guatemala represents a third of the population and a third of Central America’s economy. The designation of Fachini had as ad hoc rapporteur senator Eduardo Suplicy (PT-SP).

At the end of the meeting, the request presented by senator Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF) to hold a public hearing regarding South America political situation was approved.