Brasília, 7/21/2004 (Agência Brasil) - This Sunday president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva embarks on his second trip to Africa. He will spend five days there, visiting São Tomé and Principe, Gabon and Cabo Verde.

São Tomé and Principe, and Cabo Verde are Portuguese-speaking nations that already have strong ties with Brazil.

Gabon, once a part of French Equatorial Africa (it has been independent since 1958), is seen as a possible strategic partner enabling Brazil to accompany events in central and western Africa as part of a political agreement. While in Gabon, Lula will promote economic cooperation through a contract that will allow the Vale do Rio Doce mining company to explore manganese. Finally, there will be cooperation agreements on malaria (Brazilian experts will assist the country fight this problem) and agriculture. Lula will be accompanied by 15 business leaders who will attend seminars on local investment opportunities.

"We would like to see Gabon become one of biggest producers of manganese in the world. The country could be a springboard for Brazil to penetrate all of central Africa," says Pedro Motta Pinto Coelho, who heads the Africa Department at the Ministry of Foreign Relations. "Gabon is an important platform for us. This is line with one of our top priorities: strengthen ties with Africa."

Repórter: Marcos Chagas
Tradutor: Allen Bennett