Interview of HEMr. Ricardo Neiva Tavares, Ambassador of Brazil to

DW • 36
DW • 37
Interview of H.E.Mr. Ricardo Neiva Tavares,
Ambassador of Brazil to the European Union
DW: Your Excellency, we can
hardly visualize how different
daily life is when comparing
Brazil with Belgium. How long
have you been working and
living in Brussels? How do you
like it here?
I would say one of the main differences in
daily life between Brazil and Belgium – and
Europe as a whole – is one of scale. Brazil is
the fifth largest country in the world, both
in terms of territory – more than 8.5 million
square kilometers – and of population – around
200 million people. The European Union of 27
could fit twice inside Brazil’s surface. Living in
Europe, one has to get used to the idea of
much shorter distances between major cities
and the fact that different languages and
cultural traditions are to be found in a much
smaller space. I have taken up the post of Brazilian Ambassador to the European Union in
October 2008 and very much enjoy the cultured, cosmopolitan and yet still cozy atmosphere of Brussels.
DW: Brazil has just reached the
status of eighth economy in
the world. This fact definitely
reaffirms Brazil’s due place in the
BRIC nations, and acts as a good
omen for a bright future of your
country. What ingredients of this
marvelous, rich and vast country
of almost 200 million inhabitants
made the success of Brazil?
It is exceedingly difficult to pin-point what
specific factors are responsible for Brazil´s
current rank as eighth largest global economy
by nominal GDP figures. I think, however, that
a favourable convergence of several trends
and policies would undoubtedly be important
among these factors. On the one hand, Brazil
has been undertaking, over several years, a
series of measures aiming at stabilising the
economy and creating the conditions for sustained growth. We ended the chronic inflation of the past and created new initiatives,
such as the “Bolsa Família” , which has helped
to bring millions of people out of poverty
and into the mainstream consumer market.
Alongside this, the very dynamic growth in
other emerging countries has helped to maintain the levels of demand for many of Brazil´s
main export products. Consequently, internal
and external economic developments contributed to allowing Brazil to escape with minimal
impact from the economic and financial crisis
of 2008-2009.
DW: Brazil can be very proud
of its many achievements and
its sky-rocketing rise on the
international stage, could you
please explain the Growth
Acceleration Program (Programa
de Aceleração do Crescimento),
launched by the Brazilian
government in 2007.
What is perceived as the rise of the international profile of Brazil corresponds both to its
global political credibility and to the growing
importance of the country’s economic achievements. Brazil is a leading exporter of commodities and industrialized goods and has a
sizable consumer market. In spite of the world
economic and financial crisis, Brazil’s economy
grew at a rate of 8.9 percent in the first half of
2010. Since it was launched by President Lula,
the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) has
significantly contributed both to maintaining
the dynamism of the Brazilian economy and
to removing structural bottlenecks for future
growth. Even more importantly, it has allowed
for economic growth and macroeconomic
stability to be accompanied by a substantial
reduction in social inequality. The PAC funds
have bolstered infrastructural projects around
the country in areas such as water, sewage,
and electricity supply, as well as road and
housing construction, which have been de-
signed to help correct social disparities and
the development of the Brazilian economy.
DW: Three years ago, at the
international Conference
on Biofuels held in Brussels,
President Lula announced that
more than 20 million hectares of
conservation units (to protect the
forest) and more efficient fuel
production had allowed the rate
of deforestation of the Amazon
Rainforest to fall by 52 percent
since 2004. This very good news
was heartily welcomed by the
international community. Is the
government still concerned with
these ecological issues? What
are the deforestation schemes of
middle and long term forecasts?
The Brazilian commitment to reducing
illegal deforestation in the country is at the very
core of our National Plan on Climate Change.
The objective is to halt illegal deforestation by
2020. We have been implementing a comprehensive set of legislation and policies that
have been extremely efficient in reducing the
rates of deforestation in Brazil. According to
the data released by our National Agency of
Space Research (INPE), there was a 42 percent
reduction in deforestation in 2009, resulting
in the achievement of the target for 2010
one year earlier. Forecasts for 2010 indicate
another substantial reduction. This impressive
trend in the decrease of deforestation is due
to public policies, such as integrated actions
of the Federal Police and our National Agency
for protection of the environment (IBAMA),
but also to initiatives from the private sector,
such as the beef, soya bean and lumber industries. These results respond to the strong
call from Brazilian society in favour of the
preservation and the sustainable use of our
forest resources. Furthermore, it is important
to clarify that biofuels' production in Brazil
does not impact, directly or indirectly, on the
Amazon Rainforest, since ethanol production
is concentrated in the southern region of the
country, which is well over 2,000 kilometers
away from the Amazon.
DW: MERCOSUR is the third
integrated economy of the
world, after the EU and NAFTA
(ALENA in French). Could you
please develop its politicoeconomical context and the
reasons that lead to its creation?
MERCOSUR had its origins in the rapprochement between Brazil and Argentina in
the 1980s, following the redemocratization of
our two countries. We knew that together, we
would not only have greater economic prosperity, but we would also strengthen democracy
in our nations. Paraguay and Uruguay showed
great interest in joining the endeavour and so,
MERCOSUR was created in 1991, with these
four member States. The results have been
beyond expectations. For instance, the trade
flows between Brazil and our MERCOSUR partners has grown nine-fold since 1991, from US$
4.5 billion dollars in 1991 to over US$ 36.6 billion
in 2008. Today, Argentina is one of Brazil´s three
main trading partners.
Over the years, MERCOSUR has been able
to extend the integration process from trade
to other domains of a macroeconomic, social,
political and cultural nature. I would like to
mention a few initiatives to convey an idea of
the scope of activities we have been implementing in recent years: a Residence Agreement, that allows nationals of any Member
State of MERCOSUR, Bolivia and Chile to live
in another country of the bloc; a fund for the
treatment of asymmetries among the Member
States (FOCEM); a Parliament (“Parlasur”) on
its way to being elected by universal suffrage;
a University; a Common Customs code etc.
But MERCOSUR is not an end in itself. It
has been playing an important role as a building bloc of South American and Latin American integration. To illustrate that, let me recall
that no less than 5 other countries in South
America are Associated Members of MERCOSUR and participate actively in the bloc´s
social, political and cultural dimensions. If you
add Venezuela, which is on its way to become
a fully-fledged Member State, and Guiana
and Suriname, you have the UNASUR, which
is an integration project of a wider geographical scope.
DW: Brazil has already approved
the admission of Venezuela in
the MERCOSUR union, but the
process has been slowed down
for Paraguay. Could you please
explain the reasons for this
braking and when do you think
Venezuela will become a full
member?
The issue is currently under consideration
by the Congress of Paraguay. It is only natural
in any democracy that such an important development be at the centre of much political
debate. The Brazilian Government believes that
Venezuela’s adherence will be greatly beneficial for MERCOSUR. We are talking about the
3rd largest economy in South America, with a
population of almost 30 million inhabitants.
DW: Has Brazil the ambition of
building, through MERCOSUR,
an alliance of an importance and
structure similar to the one of the
EU (i.e. monetary union, open
frontiers, standardization of the
education system, etc.)?
Exports in 2005
to
which reduces costs, specially for small and
medium-sized companies. MERCOSUR citizens, as I mentioned before, have the right
to reside and to work in any of the countries
of the bloc. We have agreements that aim to
increase the mobility of students and teachers, as well as to strengthen the teaching of
Portuguese in Spanish-speaking countries and
vice-versa. If one day this is going to lead to
a common currency, to a Schengen-style area
free of internal borders, and so on, only time
will tell. What is important is that we keep on
moving in the right direction.
DW: Referring to the chart below,
Brazil’s most important business
partners are the USA. Is the
Brazilian government willing to
diversify its trade partners?
Brazil´s trade patterns have evolved considerably since the above figures for 2005. Today,
our three largest individual trading partners
are China, USA and Argentina, although the
Percentage of Imports 2005
total exports from
Percentage of
total imports
United States
18.9%
United States
17.2%
Argentina
8.4%
Argentina
8.5%
China
5.7%
Germany
8.4%
Netherlands
4.5%
China
7.3%
Germany
4.2%
Japan
4.6%
Mexico
3.5%
Algeria
3.9%
Chile
3.1%
France
3.7%
Japan
3.0%
Nigeria
3.6%
Italy
2.7%
South Korea
3.2%
Russia
2.5%
Italy
3.1%
The European Union is undoubtedly an
important reference whenever one thinks
of regional integration. Having said that, we
need to keep in mind the specificities of each
region. Integration in South America has a different historical background and responds to
different challenges.
I believe we have taken very significant
steps. We have established a system of payments in local currencies, which means that
transactions between, for example, Brazil
and Argentina, can be made with reais and
pesos, without making use of the dollar,
European Union, as a bloc, is still among our
most important trading partners. Brazil has traditionally had a much diversified pattern of international trade, with important links to every
region in the world. For example, today our
foreign trade is divided more or less into four
roughly equal parts, with one represented by
Latin America, one by the European Union, one
by Asia, and one by the USA and the rest of the
world. It is also noteworthy that we have been
actively diversifying our trade over the past few
years, with very strong growth in non-traditional
partners, such as Africa and the Middle East. The
chart below shows that diversification.
DW • 38
Exports in 2009
to
Percentage of Imports in
total exports 2009 from
Percentage of
total imports
China
13,2 %
United States
15,8 %
United States
10,2 %
China
12,5 %
Argentina
8,4 %
Argentina
8,8 %
Netherlands
5,3 %
Germany
7,7 %
Germany
4%
Japan
4,2 %
Japan
2,8 %
South Corea
3,8 %
United Kingdom
2,4 %
Nigeria
3,7 %
Venezuela
2,4 %
Italy
2,9 %
India
2,2 %
France
2,8 %
Belgium
2,1 %
Mexico
2,2 %
DW: As indicated in the chart
above, Brazil benefits from
commercial relations with
some EU country members,
such as Germany and France
being the largest, but also the
Netherlands and Italy. Belgium
doesn’t belong to the top ten of
trading partners. What makes
the difference between our
country and our neighbor, the
Netherlands?
From current statistics, Belgium has already
ascended to tenth place among our largest
export markets. It is worth noting, however,
that there is a degree of statistical distortion in
the data, as a portion of Brazilian trade that is
channelled through the main European ports
of Belgium and the Netherlands to or from
third countries is accounted for statistically as
trade with those two countries. However, one
must keep in mind that these trade figures are
only for trade in goods, and don´t show the
substantial benefits that both Belgium and
the Netherlands accrue as providers of port
and logistical services to this very dynamic
trade between Brazil and all countries of the
European Union.
DW: Brazil has one of the most
cosmopolitan populations in the
world, integrating Brazilians of
German, Portuguese or French
descent as well as a significant
proportion of its black population
that was sailed from Africa. It
appears that Brazil has been
able to convert this noticeable
heterogeneity into a major strength.
What is your country’s secret?
Brazil has indeed received substantial
inflows of European migrants, all through the
nineteenth century and well into the twentieth. European citizens who had to leave their
former countries for economic reasons as
well as due to political persecution or racial
discrimination were generously received and
rapidly integrated into Brazilian culture and
society. But immigration also occurred from
other continents, and Brazil is also composed
of peoples from African, Asian and MiddleEastern origin. As an example, Brazil is home
to the second largest population of African
descent, after Nigeria, has the largest population of Japanese descent outside Japan, and
there are more people of Lebanese descent in
Brazil than in Lebanon itself.
human rights. As we strive for equality of opportunity at home, we would also like to see
a greater measure of democracy and solidarity
in the global scene. Brazil is ready to contribute to a transformation of international relations, aiming at a world without hegemonies,
in which distribution of wealth is less unequal
and all States abide by International Law and
try to solve their controversies not through
threats or isolation, but by way of diplomatic
dialogue and in a peaceful way.
Brazilian Flag
Symbolism:
Green: Forests of Brazil
Yellow: The country mineral resources
Brazil has had to overcome a historical inheritance of poverty and social exclusion, due
in great part to the Transatlantic slave trade.
The country has engaged in a persistent struggle against racial inequality. The Brazilian Constitution designates racial discrimination as a
crime punishable by imprisonment and for
which bail is not available. Under President
Lula, a Special Secretariat for the Promotion
of Racial Equality (SEPPIR) was established in
2003 with the purpose of fostering public policies aimed at the promotion of the interests
of discriminated citizens in the areas of work
and employment; culture and communication; education; health; security; and women
and youth rights.
Brazil wishes for other countries what it
seeks for itself – the vitality of a racially diverse
population living and working together for
the common good in a context of shared
prosperity, full democracy and respect for
Blue: s ky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning
of November 15, 1889, the day the
Republic of Brazil was declared
27 Stars: represent the 26 states and the
Federal District.
Motto:
“Ordem e Progresso”
Inspired by Auguste Comte's motto of positivism: L’amour pour principe et l’ordre pour
base; le progrès pour but.
Indeed, most people involved in the military coup that deposed the monarchy and
proclaimed the Brazilian Republic were followers of Comte's thought.