Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira opened the meeting of the alliance’s ministers and deputy ministers Thursday (Apr. 9) in Rio de Janeiro, rejecting the “importation” of rivalries and conflicts that “have nothing to do with the interests of our peoples” and noting that the world is experiencing armed conflicts such as the wars in the Gaza Strip, Iran, Lebanon, and Ukraine.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brazil to boost food security cooperation with 55 African countries.
• Lula calls Latin America “peace zone” and criticizes interventions.

Mauro Vieira shared with the other international representatives that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had expressed concern about the current international scenario, “marked by the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II [1939–1945].”

Vieira echoed Lula’s view that the global rise in energy and food prices is the result of current tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East, “with a disproportionate impact on the economies of poorer and developing countries.”

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the zone of peace and cooperation is a priority for Brazil’s foreign policy, as the country was one of its founding members 40 years ago.

Among ZOPACAS’s main objectives are maintaining a South Atlantic free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as strengthening maritime security, including the fight against drug trafficking by sea, piracy, and illegal fishing.

In his speech, the minister also focused on environmental conservation. Vieira said Brazil plans to seek approval for the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission later this year.

He also announced that the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment in the South Atlantic would be signed by the end of the meeting on this Thursday (9), establishing, among other measures, provisions for the prevention, reduction, and control of marine pollution.

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira opened the meeting of the alliance’s ministers and deputy ministers Thursday (Apr. 9) in Rio de Janeiro, rejecting the “importation” of rivalries and conflicts that “have nothing to do with the interests of our peoples” - Carlos Cruz/MRE.

“The countries in our region are willing to make ambitious commitments in support of environmental protection and sustainable development,” the minister noted.

ZOPACAS

ZOPACAS - established in 1986 by the United Nations (UN) - comprises 24 countries: Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay in South America, as well as 21 nations on Africa’s west coast, stretching from Senegal to South Africa and including the Cape Verde archipelago.

The meeting in Rio de Janeiro marks the start of Brazil’s three-year rotating presidency, succeeding that of Cape Verde.

In addition to partnerships in defense and security, the alliance seeks multilateral agreements in areas such as the environment and development.

Brazil has the longest coastline in the South Atlantic, stretching approximately 10,900 kilometers when geographical indentations such as bays are included. On the African side, the largest stretches belong to Angola and Namibia.