Meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim
17 February 2010
Media release
On Tuesday 16 February, while in Madrid, I met with Brazilian Minister for External Relations Celso Amorim.
Minister Amorim and I last met during my bilateral visit to Brazil in August 2009.
We continued our discussion about Australia’s enhanced engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean.
Australia is pleased with the progress of our engagement with Brazil.
In addition to our cooperation in international fora including the United Nations (UN), the G20, the World Trade Organization and the International Whaling Commission, we have increased engagement in the fields of science and technology cooperation and development assistance.
Minister Amorim and I spoke about the Australia-Brazil Plan of Action to enhance our bilateral relations, first proposed in 2008 during Minister Amorim’s visit to Australia.
The Plan of Action aims to expand and strengthen Australia’s links with Brazil in a wide range of areas, including trade and investment, agriculture, mining, energy, science and technology, development assistance, education, sport, culture and people-to-people links.
We also spoke about developments in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular Brazil's assessment of assistance and reconstruction in Haiti.
Brazil is playing an important role in Haiti as a result of its leadership role in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Brazil has over 2,100 troops currently deployed in Haiti as part of MINUSTAH.
Twenty-two Brazilians were killed in the earthquake, including eighteen peace-keepers and Mr Luiz Carlos da Costa, the UN Deputy Special Representative to Haiti.
Australia has announced $15 million to support relief and reconstruction efforts in Haiti, including $10 million for immediate relief efforts and $2.5 million to support reconstruction efforts through the UNDP’s cash for work program. $2.5 million will be prioritised for cooperation with the Caribbean Community, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Authority and Brazil.
Minister Amorim and I agreed Australia and Brazil should explore prospects for cooperation on long-term reconstruction in Haiti.
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