During an official visit to Brazil, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, Robert Dussey, and Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ernesto Araújo, discussed the holding of an economic forum between the two countries to strengthen ties. According to the government of Togo, the forum should happen within the next few months in São Paulo or Brasília. Dussey was in Brazil from June 17 to 18.
Ernesto Araújo explained that there needs to be a reinvention of the Brazilian presence in the African continent, with a policy that is more focused on concrete economic results and, especially, with the support of the private sector. “We are committed to transforming our deep affinity with Africa into new initiatives, new fields of cooperation and work,” he argued.
In addition to the economic forum, the two ministers discussed anti-piracy actions in the Gulf of Guinea, bilateral technical cooperation in the development of the local cotton sector and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which recently reached a minimum quorum to come into effect.
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“We are committed to transforming our deep affinity with Africa into new initiatives, new fields of cooperation and work”
Dussey also explained that Togo has recently adopted a National Development Plan, focused on the development of a logistics hub of excellence and the creation of a development center for West Africa that will assist in agricultural and industrial development, as well as the country in the social sphere. Brazil undertook to support the Togolese government in the implementation of these proposals.
+ The Togolese Government has also made a formal commitment to support Brazil’s candidacy as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the biennium 2021-2022.
Robert Dussey also met with the governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Wilson Witzel.