Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva received, on Wednesday (28), the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mélanie Joly, at the Presidential Palace of Planalto. Both addressed issues of environment, defence, trade and investment.

According to official information, Lula and Joly agreed on the need to organize business missions with the aim of expanding the potential of trade and investment relations between Brazil and Canada.

During the meeting, Joly conveyed to Lula the invitation made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit Canada. The Brazilian president responded to Trudeau’s invitation.

Mélanie Joly is in the country for the fourth meeting of the Dialogue on the Brazil-Canada Strategic Partnership, the main mechanism for cooperation between nations. On Tuesday (27) he was at the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, in a meeting with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, when they signed a broad cooperation agreement in the field of defense.

In addition, the two countries maintain bilateral dialogue and cooperation processes in the fields of education, science, technology and innovation, military affairs, energy and mining.

bilateral exchange

In 2022, trade between Brazil and Canada totaled US$10.56 billion, an increase of 40.9% over 2021, generating a surplus for Brazil of US$232.1 million. Among the main products exported to Canada last year were gold; aluminum; sugar; semi-finished products, iron and steel; industrialized products and coffee. Imports from Canada, on the other hand, included chemical fertilizers, about 72% of the total; industrialized products; airplanes and chemicals.