The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, received yesterday Wednesday the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mélanie Joly, with whom he discussed the environment, trade and the need to “join efforts” to “strengthen” security and institutions from Haiti.
Joly is on an official visit to the South American country in the framework of the fourth meeting of the Brazil-Canada Strategic Association Dialogue, the main cooperation mechanism between the two countries.
The Canadian foreign minister discussed with Lula the environmental agenda and “the possibility of expanding Canadian investments in the renewable energy sector in Brazil,” according to the Brazilian Presidency in a note.
boost business missions
In this sense, both agreed to promote “business missions with the aim of expanding and reaching the bilateral trade potential” in this and other sectors.
During the meeting, held at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Lula and Joly also shared “the need to join” international efforts “in favor of strengthening security and institutions” in Haiti.
Haiti is going through a serious sociopolitical and security crisis, while the international community continues without reaching a consensus on how to help the Caribbean country, whose situation continues to deteriorate since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
On Tuesday, Joly and his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, signed a “broad cooperation agreement in the area of Defense” and discussed the possibility of reinforcing the Haitian National Police.
Murders, rapes and kidnappings have become virtually continuous in parts of Haiti, and violent crimes have doubled in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2022, according to UN estimates.
Joly also took advantage of the occasion to extend to Lula the invitation of the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, to visit the North American country.