Lula is in Paris for state visit, business meetings
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in Paris on Wednesday (Jun. 4) for a state visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as for other activities of interest to Brazil.
The two presidents are due to sign 20 bilateral agreements in the areas of vaccines, public security, education, science, and technology.
“I’m going to have a meeting with President Macron to discuss matters of global interest. We will certainly address the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Israeli army’s massacre in the Gaza Strip, and the European Union–Mercosur agreement. We will also discuss issues related to defense, as we have a partnership in the development of a nuclear-powered submarine,” said Lula at a press conference on Tuesday (3) at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasília.
“I’m also going to meet with Brazilian and French business leaders. We want to showcase Brazil’s positive moment to French investors and see if it’s possible to attract them to make more investments or enter into private partnerships,” he added.
One of the highlights of the agenda is expected to be the announcement of a new t Brazil– climate declaration. An investment announcement between the two countries is also anticipated.
Bilateral trade currently stands at $9.1 billion, according to 2024 data, while is Brazil’s third-largest investor, with over $66.3 billion in stock.
The Brazilian government has not had a head of state visit in 13 years; the last visit was in 2012, during Dilma Rousseff’s presidency.
Schedule
The meeting between Lula, Macron, and their delegations will take place at the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president, on Thursday (5).
On Friday (6), President Lula will receive an honorary doctorate from Paris 8 University and be honored by the French Academy.
Founded in 1635, the academy has honored only 19 heads of state in official sessions throughout its nearly 400-year history. Before Lula, the sole Brazilian recipient of this honor was Dom Pedro II, in 1872.
On the same day, he will visit the exhibition on Brazil’s Year in at the Grand Palais, one of the country’s main convention centers.
The program for the Brazilian Season in will feature a variety of activities across more than 50 French cities, running until September.
The president is also set to participate in the Brazil- Economic Forum, which will convene officials and business leaders from both countries.
Lula will also attend the event formalizing Brazil’s recognition as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. This status was approved by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on May 29.
On Saturday (7), the Brazilian president will meet with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, before traveling to Toulon for another meeting with Macron at the French Navy Base. They will discuss the Submarine Development Program (ProSub), continuing the agenda Macron pursued during his state visit to Brazil in March last year.
On June 8, Lula was invited to Monaco to participate in an event on the blue economy, focusing on the sustainable economic use of oceans and the mobilization of funding for their conservation.
Next Monday (9), the president will travel to Nice to participate in the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans, expected to gather at least 60 heads of state.
In Lyon, Lula is scheduled to visit the headquarters of Interpol, the international police organization currently led by Brazilian Federal Police chief inspector Valdecy Urquiza.
Returning to Brazil next week, President Lula will host the Brazil-Caribbean Summit in Brasília on June 13, welcoming 15 leaders from the region.
He has also been invited to the G7 meeting in Canada, scheduled for June 15 to 17, but is still considering his participation due to the close timing of the events.
