This week I will have the honor to be the first Brazilian President to officially travel to Saudi Arabia. I retain fond memories of the visit in 2000 of the then Crown Prince to Brazil. Since then, numerous high level visits have further strengthened the ties between our two countries and peoples. Brazil prides itself on having roots in the rich cultural heritage of Arab civilization. Successive waves of immigrants from the Middle East have made their way to Brazil in search of a new horizons and a better life. Over the years they have contributed to forging present-day Brazil and to its diverse human landscape. Arab values, tastes and sensibilities are today an integral part of what it means to be Brazilian. My trip to Saudi Arabia aims to explore and enhance these many-faceted affinities and the opportunities for cooperation that they offer. Much has been achieved over recent years, but much remains to be done if we are to fully realize the potential of two thriving economies that are making their mark on the global scene. Our commercial ties eloquently express the dynamic nature of our association, Saudi Arabia having become Brazil's largest trading partner in the Middle East. Since I took office in 2003, bilateral trade has multiplied four-fold, rising from $1.2 billion to $5.5 billion. However, we will not make full use of our economic complementarities on our own. It is up to the private sector in both countries to explore the growing range of possibilities in such far-flung fields as oil exploration, mining, aviation, foodstuffs, construction and engineering. The agreements that Saudi Arabia and Brazil shall be signing during my visit cover this wide scope for joint action and cooperation that has become a trademark of our growing links. Brazil wishes to be a partner of Saudi Arabia as it exploits its strategic geographical location and role as a major force in the Gulf Cooperation Council to become a major regional hub for transport and financial services. Brazil is equally determined to foster diversified commerce and investment so as to reduce dependence on a small number of trade partners and a narrow range of export goods. Brazil shares with Saudi Arabia the conviction that deeper South-South relations are critical to ensuring that our countries will continue on the path to sustainable development. Nowhere was the strategic potential of our partnership more visible than during the G-20 Summit in London last April. Saudi Arabia and Brazil joined hands to ensure that the international community arrives at timely and effective responses to the global crisis. Our countries are especially well placed to exercise this leadership role given the global weight of our economies, as well as their resilience in the face of the present turmoil. Brazil looks forward to partnering with Saudi Arabia to help bring about the necessary reform of the Bretton Woods institutions and of the United Nations Security Council. Yet reforming multilateral institutions is not enough if we are to shape a more responsive governance architecture. To overcome the truly global challenges before us, we must address the root causes of conflicts, in particular those confronting different creeds and civilizations. That is why the Saudi proposal for greater inter-faith dialogue is so welcome. It helps enhance one of the major pillars of the Alliance of Civilizations Forum, which Brazil is proud to host next year. Millions of Brazilians that profess the Islamic faith hold the Holy Mosques as a reminder of their spiritual ties to Saudi Arabia. Their faith in the power of tolerance and dialogue to foster peace and understanding – which is shared by all Brazilians – makes Saudi Arabia and Brazil natural allies in the endeavor to bring a lasting solution to the Palestinian question. It is impossible to remain unmoved by the harsh suffering that the Palestinian people have endured over many decades and generations. The long-standing occupation of the Palestinian Territories, the recurrent military campaigns against its inhabitants, as well as the encroachment of Israeli settlements only postpone the inevitable creation of a Palestinian state that is fully cohesive, independent and economically viable. The Brazilian people are therefore highly appreciative of the tireless efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Consistent with his leadership role in the Arab League, King Abdullah's Arab Peace Initiative offers a meaningful path to Inter-Palestinian reconciliation. It recognizes that no lasting solution in the Middle East is possible without consulting with all interested parties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Brazil wishes to join in these endeavors to bring peace and prosperity to all in the Middle East, as well as enhanced South-South cooperation and trade. These are some of the core issues behind the launching of the South America-Arab Countries Summit process, the opening of new Brazilian embassies in the region, the sending of an Especial Envoy to the Middle East as well as Brazil's growing engagement in the Palestinian cause. Saudi Arabia's crucial role in achieving these critical goals makes me look forward to meeting King Abdullah in the coming days and to receiving him soon in Brazil to continue to strengthen a partnership that has become truly indispensable. __
