New markets

"Peddler" diplomacy helps to sell Brazilian products

With Lula and Dilma, Brazil approached Africa: more exchanges of experience and growth in exports Photo: Ricardo Stuckert / Lula Institute

The definition was given by President Lula: Brazilian diplomacy should act as "peddler", to help sell Brazilian products by knocking on the door. Since 2003, Brazil's foreign policy is in line with the needs of Brazilian businessmen, negotiating trading opportunities for their products, opening new markets, mainly in the Middle East and Africa.

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•Former Minister Luiz Fernando Furlan explains the success of Lula’s “Peddler” diplomacy

Arab countries today buy five times more from Brazil

Exports of poultry meat, ore, grain and sugar to the Middle East increased profits for Brazilian industry and agribusiness. Today, half the Arab countries buy more from Brazil, including many who, until 2002, had been virtually ignored. The two largest trading partners in the region, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, together bought less than US$ 1 billion. In 2013, they bought US$ 5 billion from Brazil.

Among the countries that did not matter to Brazil’s former foreign policy, the example of Oman is one of the most significant: where they had been buying only R $ 30 million from Brazil in 2013 they imported no less than R $ 1.1 billion (36 times more).

With Lula and Dilma, exports to African countries increased by 315%

Exports to Africa grew 315% in the first years of the Lula government. Benefitting from Brazil’s forgiveness of to the debts of several African countries, our companies began to sell fuels (ethanol, diesel and gasoline), sugar, beef and iron ore. South Africa, Nigeria and Angola, for example, imported US $ 1.184 billion from Brazil in 2002, a figure that reached nearly $ 4 billion in 2013.