Joint Statement Brazil-Australia

On 4 January, the Minister of External Relations of Brazil, Ambassador Celso Amorim, and the Australian Foreign Minister, the Hon. Alexander Downer MP, had a working meeting in Brasilia, during which they reiterated a shared commitment to intensify the bilateral relationship. Minister Downer is visiting Brazil from 4 to 5 January 2006.

During their meeting, the two ministers discussed prospective joint initiatives, with a view to deepening the bilateral relationship between Australia and Brazil, which celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2005. The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on regional and international developments and analysed the main themes of the bilateral agenda, in a spirit of friendly relations between the two countries.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received Minister /Alexander Downer in Brasilia in the afternoon. During this meeting the bilateral and economic relationship, based on growing trade and investment links, was highlighted. Special attention was drawn to the intensification of people-to-people links, which had been expanding in recent years, particularly in areas such as education. They reaffirmed their commitment to the strengthening of the bilateral relationship.

The two Ministers agreed the following:

They reaffirmed their shared view that reform of the UN Security Council is needed in order to make it more compatible with today’s geopolitical realities and to ensure it can function efficiently, with representativeness and legitimacy. Minister Amorim, in the name of the Brazilian Government, expressed appreciation for Australia’s public support for Brazil’s candidature for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
They reiterated the terms of the joint declaration of the Cairns Group and G20 in the context of the WTO Doha Round negotiations, on the occasion of the VI WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong. This declaration affirmed that progress in the agriculture negotiations is crucial to the success of the Round and that the two groups are united in their efforts to secure the removal of distortions in international agricultural trade. Improved access to the world’s markets for agricultural products has long been one of the highest trade priorities for Brazil and Australia. Both Ministers also welcomed the agreement reached in Hong Kong on 2013 as an end date for the total elimination of agricultural export subsidies, noting the agreement on a mid-term target.
They reaffirmed interest in taking forward negotiations for an Air Services Agreement between Brazil and Australia. This agreement will have the effect of intensifying trade, tourism, education exchange and cultural relations between the two countries.
They welcomed strong growth in the volume of bilateral trade and the prospects for increased investment flows. They noted Australian participation in the Brazilian mining industry was significant and increasing, and that Australian interest in the Brazilian agribusiness sector was also growing. They praised the initiative to create, under the auspices of the Brazil-Australia Commercial Agreement of 1978, a Bilateral Trade and Investment Commission.
They recognised the desirability of sending a technical mission from Biosecurity Australia to Brazil to verify the conditions of sanitary control and preventive measures applied by the Brazilian Government in order to examine conditions under which the suspension of beef products and derivatives and dairy products might be lifted.
They welcomed the efforts that have been made in the area of education cooperation and capacity building since the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2005 by the education ministers of the two countries. They highlighted prospects for collaboration in the field of Vocational and Technical Education, where Australian expertise could benefit Brazil. Minister Amorim highlighted a Brazilian offer to establish a Chair of Portuguese language and Brazilian civilisation at the Australian National University. Minister Downer noted that Australia would welcome a possible visit by the Brazilian Education Minister, Fernando Haddad, and education delegation in April 2006.
They agreed that science and technology is a promising sphere of bilateral cooperation, including areas such as livestock science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, aquaculture and oceanography.
They expressed satisfaction with the results of the work of the Australian Biofuels Taskforce, created in May 2005, which established measures to support the introduction of ethanol and biodiesel as energy sources in Australia. They recognised potential benefits that may accrue to Australia and Brazil from the addition of ethanol to gasoline in third countries. The Ministers agreed on the desirability of further visits and exchanges between experts to study bilateral cooperation on biofuels.
They expressed support for efforts being made by Mercosul and CER (Closer Economic Relations between Australia and New Zealand) countries to continue constructive dialogue that will bring the countries involved closer together.
Minister Amorim announced his intention to visit Australia in the second half of 2006 to deepen discussions on the bilateral relationship.