President also defended a partnership with African countries to explore this type of mineral
The President of the Republic, reaffirmed this Monday (24), the desire for Brazil not to be a mere supplier of critical minerals and defended a partnership with African countries for the exploration of this type of mineral. “The African continent has important reserves of critical minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, which will play a strategic role in the green transition. International cooperation in this matter is fundamental. I want to tell you that Brazil is willing to collaborate with you”, declared Lula during a forum with businesspeople from and from Brazil in Maputo, capital of Mozambique.
And he continued: “We have to make the decision. We are not going to be exporters of critical minerals. If we want to, we will have to industrialize in our country so that our country can make money.”
Partnership with Africa
Lula defended the strengthening of production and trade partnerships with African countries, given the commercial difficulties with countries from other blocs: “Brazil will have more difficulty selling things to Germany, but it sells. It will have more difficulty selling things to the United States, but it sells. But on the African continent, not only can we sell, we can produce things to buy”, he declared.
The Brazilian president cited the fuel negotiations. “In April 2026, in Hannover, the largest industrial fair in the world will take place. Brazil is an honored guest. I want to go there, at the Hannover fair, to prove which gasoline and which diesel oil emit less CO2 on planet Earth. I want to prove that it is Brazilian”, he said.
The official visit to Mozambique comes as part of the celebrations of 50 years of relationship between the two countries. Earlier, Lula had a bilateral meeting with the Mozambican president, Daniel Chapo, and participated in an event to sign agreements. Later this Monday, the president will receive the title of honorary doctor from the Pedagogical University of Mozambique. It is expected that you will board back to Brazil at 1:20 pm, Brasília time.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
