Brasília - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrives this morning in Algiers, where he will meet president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, on the first stage of a trip to four African countries. In Algeria, Lula will sign agreements on maritime transportation, commerce and agriculture.

Algeria is now Brazil's second biggest trade partner in Africa, with bilateral commerce at around US$3 billion.

Accompanying the president are the ministers of Mines and Energy, Silas Rondeau; Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan; Health, Saraiva Felipe; Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim; Special Secretariat for Racial Equality (Seppir); Matilde Ribeiro; National Integration, Ciro Gomes; Sports, Agnelo Queiroz; and the executive secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Luís Carlos Guedes Pinto.

Tomorrow evening Lula leaves Algeria for Benin, followed by Botswana and South Africa. The president will return to Brazil on Sunday, February 12.

Translation: Allen Bennett