Lula in Berlin for first Brazil-Germany talks in eight years

3/12/2023 18:42

        Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to land in Berlin on Sunday for the first Brazilian-German government consultations in eight years as Latin America and Europe's largest economies seek to revive ties.
        
        Lula has jetted across the globe since returning to office in January, trying to restore Brazil's standing on the global stage after years of diplomatic isolation under his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, to mixed results.
        
        He is expected to have dinner on Sunday with fellow leftist, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before the consultations on Monday.
        
        Scholz was the first foreign leader to visit Lula in Brazil, just weeks after his inauguration.
        
        The German Chancellor has been on a quest since taking office in late 2021 to improve ties with the Global South. Germany also considers Brazil a key partner in its bid to diversify its trade, in part to reduce its reliance on China, and plug a gap in skilled labour.