Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Brazilian President Lula da Silva signed a joint statement today to elevate relations between their countries to a strategic partnership, reported Al Ahram from Cairo. The signing took place on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. Egypt is not a G20 member, but has participated in the group’s meetings as a guest nation for the fourth time. Both leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation, given their shared interests and positions on various global issues.
Both countries are now full members of the BRICS, but they have been enhancing their relations since 2009, when they established a strategic dialogue mechanism, and in 2010, when they signed a free-trade agreement with the Latin American Southern Common Market, Mercosur. Egypt is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner in Africa, with a bilateral exchange of $3.4 billion in 2023.
