Brasília, August 4, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - With 76 million African descendents, Brazil is the second largest black nation in the world, second only to Nigeria. Our cuisine, religion, and other cultural traits perpetuate cultural elements brought by African slaves during the colonial period. However, the political and economic relationships between Brazil and the countries of Africa have not, up to now, reflected this identity. As the South African Ambassador to Brazil, Mbuelo Rakwena, affirmed, developing countries still place priority on relationships with the United States and Europe. It is for the sake of changing this way of thinking that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should travel to Africa this year.

The trip, which was scheduled for August 5-12, was postponed, according to the Planalto Palace, because of the critical moment in the passage of Constitutional reforms in Congress; This week, the Social Security reform bill, which has been a source of complaints and conflicts between the Administration and certain social sectors, is going to the floor of the Chamber of Deputies for a vote. President Lula preferred to remain home and take a personal part in managing the political debates. According to the Itamaraty (Ministry of Foreign Relations), contacts have already been made with the countries Lula will visit, to set a new date for the trip, presumably in November.

Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, San Tomé and Principe, and Angola are the countries on Lula's African route. Among Brazil's chief interests are increasing business flows and sharing social projects with countries in Africa. (DAS)