Brazil would welcome a BRICS-like bloc with the Gulf states to work towards achieving common goals, according to an influential Brazilian politician.
Brazil is the current chair of the BRICS, an informal association of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
“We are open to new markets and new opportunities; therefore, we would welcome such an idea,” said Eduardo Bolsonaro, chairperson of Foreign Relations and National Defence Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Brazilian Parliament, in comments published by state news agency WAM.
In an interview with WAM, he said: “This is something the Brazilian president can discuss with the UAE leaders during his state visit to the UAE.
President Jair Bolsonaro has accepted an invitation from the UAE leadership to visit the country in October.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was the first foreign minister from the Arab World to visit the Brazilian President after he came into power in January.
Both countries stand together against terrorism in all forms, while a bilateral visa exemption agreement that allows citizens of both countries visa-free travel since June 2018 has also been encouraging tourism, the MP said.
On Saturday, Sheikh Abdullah and Bolsonaro met in Abu Dhabi to discuss bilateral cooperation in the economic, investment, commercial, parliamentary, tourism, military and defence fields.
“UAE is looking forward to boosting cooperation with Brazil in all domains for the benefit of the two friendly peoples,” Sheikh Abdullah said in the meeting.
Bolsonaro went on to say that with 10,000 Brazilians currently residing in the UAE.
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