Viet Nam expected to amplify BRICS's appealing: Brazilian Ambassador

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is set to attend the 17th BRICS Summit and pay a working visit to Brazil from July 4-8 at the invitation of Brazillian President Lula da Silva.

In a interview with VGP ahead of the tour, Brazilian Ambassador to Viet Nam Marco Farani said, the 17th BRICS Summit, held on July 6 and 7 in Rio de Janeiro, under the pro-tempore presidency of Brazil, will focus on the theme "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance".

The meeting's agenda will discuss six main issues, including reform of the multilateral peace and security architecture, cooperation in health, improvement of the international financial system, climate crisis, artificial intelligence and increasing the institutionality of BRICS, with the enlargement of participation and dialogue with different social groups.

Viet Nam's admission to BRICS is very welcome

According to the Ambassador, BRICS brings together the world's leading emerging economies and has been a mechanism that, among other issues, has prioritized the resolution of economic bottlenecks that pose major challenges to the development of developing economies. Therefore, the formation of trade partnerships, access to innovative technology, improvement of connectivity and attraction of investment in infrastructure are among BRICS' vital topics.

The role of BRICS has been increasingly relevant given the unstable scenario of international relations, marked by the escalation of conflicts and economic fluctuations, associated with the resurgence of protectionist trends that hinder the normal flow of trade and the prosperity of nations.

Some numbers clearly demonstrate the potential of BRICS, which currently represents 40 percent of the global economy, 23 percent of global GDP, 18 percent of international trade, 42 percent of the world's population, 30 percent of the planet's territory, 3.2 billion people, 36 percent of global GDP by purchasing power parity, and 72 percent of the global rare earth reserves.

According to recent data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while industrialized countries are witnessing a slowdown in the growth of their economies (2.7 percent in 2022 to 1.4 percent in 2023), developing countries in the so-called Global South have seen economic growth of around 4 percent this year. The emerging markets of BRICS are increasingly likely to consolidate the highest growth rates in the world.

Viet Nam's objectives are in tune with BRICS actions and positive practices, in addition to naturally strengthening multilateral cooperation, he noted.

During the summit, in addition of promoting connectivity and strengthening supply chains, Viet Nam will be able to cooperate with other members in the environmental field and partnerships for the energy transition, as well as in initiatives that promote access to innovative technologies.

At the political and diplomatic level, like Brazil, Viet Nam has demonstrated its commitment to promote global peace and stability and to support more representative global governance on the international stage.

Farani held that in an official statement, it was with great satisfaction that the Brazilian government welcomed the Vietnamese government's decision to join BRICS as a partner country.

Viet Nam's entry will contribute to further increasing the potential, amplify the group's importance on the international stage and its centrality in the international trade value chain, in addition to reinforcing the relevance of multilateralism, noted the diplomat.

Viet Nam is a stable country, with a dynamic and efficient economy and clear growth objectives. The Southeast Asian nation's admission to BRICS is very welcome and it is expected to work actively together to achieve the goals of progress in the fields of trade, investment, energy transition, environmental and social sustainability, connectivity and equal opportunities in access to innovation, underlined the Ambassador.

Maturity of Viet Nam-Brazil relations

Farani said that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will make his third visit to Brazil, reflecting the special significance of friendship and degree of trust between the two countries.

Pham visited Brazil in 2023, for the first time, opening up a new milestone in the bilateral ties following his summit meeting with President Lula da Silva.

Last year, Prime Minister Pham participated on the G20 meeting that took place in Rio de Janeiro. Pham and Lula announced the upgrade of the bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership.

"Now, the Prime Minister will be back to our country for the third time, to participate in the BRICS Summit, as a partner country. I am quite sure that he will bring a great contribution during the summit agenda discussions. With his contemporary vision and international experience, he will contribute with constructive views about crucial issues affecting the developing countries such as energy transition, economic and financial cooperation and equal access to innovation", shared the diplomat.

Viet Nam and Brazil have cultivated a positive and balanced political and economic dialogue throughout the 36 years of diplomatic relations. "However, I must acknowledge that in recent years, bilateral relations have gained tremendous momentum with the increase in high-level visits and the interest of both countries in discovering opportunities and diversifying the niches of cooperation", the diplomat emphasized.

As an outcome of this growing interest, bilateral trade has reached a new record of US$8 billion. Dialogue in science, technology and innovation has been strengthened, a plan of action in the field of defense has been signed, and closer contacts in the area of agribusiness have been established. Initiatives in the field of energy transition represent another important area of cooperation. The growing bilateral partnership is a clear evidence of the maturity of the Viet Nam-Brazil relations.

This year was particularly promising for bilateral relations, marked by the state visit to Viet Nam by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in March this year, followed by a large business delegation and high-ranking officials from the Brazilian parliament and government. 

Great potential in areas of cooperation between Viet Nam, Brazil

Viet Nam and Brazil share similarities and complementarities - the factors that contribute to build up a stronger partnership and to increase bilateral trade. With the mastery of artificial intelligence processes, the green economy and the accelerated use of high technologies, it is becoming increasingly important to incorporate innovation into the agenda of economic and trade cooperation.

"I believe that Brazil and Viet Nam have good prospect for cooperation in the area of energy transition, a sector in which Brazil has an outstanding experience and has been a global example in the field of renewable energy and the diffusion of its ethanol program", asserted Farani.

Cooperation in the agribusiness sector has also reached a new level. The recent announcement of the decision by JBS, one of Brazil's largest business groups in the agro-export sector, to invest in two meat processing plants in Viet Nam, for an initial value of US$100 million, will enable Viet Nam to emerge as a distribution center for this sector in Southeast Asia.

There is also great potential for bilateral cooperation in the areas of cybersecurity, semiconductor, digitalization, green agriculture, biofuels and new planting technologies, including forest recovery.

"I have no doubts about the fruitful results in the years to come of the present fruitful dialogue between the two governments and about the solid cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral aspects", said the diplomat./.