Lula renews call for fairer trade

Mbeki welcomed Lula's Africa initiative

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has renewed calls for fairer trade rules for developing nations.

Speaking in South Africa on the last leg of his African tour, he urged "joint action" to promote developing countries' interests.

He and South African President Thabo Mbeki signed tax agreements and accords on technological co-operation.

Lula also visited Namibia as well as former Portuguese colonies Angola, Sao Tome and Principe and Mozambique.

Africa push

He was accompanied by about 100 Brazilian businessmen and several government ministers.

"We want to develop a strategic policy with the rest of Africa, with China, Russia, India and Mexico," Lula told a press conference in Pretoria.

Brazilian society was built through the work, sweat and blood of Africans Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

"This would guarantee that developing countries at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) can negotiate equitable market access for their products", he added.

He signed co-operation agreements in every country he visited, and agreed to help build pharmaceutical plants in Mozambique and Namibia to produce generic drugs to alleviate Aids.

Brazil's trade with Africa totals $5bn a year - just 5% of its imports and exports.

Slavery

Today, more than 76 million of Brazil's population of some 180 million are of African descent.

In Mozambique Lula said Brazil wanted to repay the "debt to Africa" by establishing a new policy of co-operation with the continent and contributing to its development.

Brazil imported African slaves as late as 1850 and abolished slavery only in 1888.

"Brazilian society was built through the work, sweat and blood of Africans," Lula had noted.

President Mbeki expressed his gratitude that Brazil had taken steps to strengthen its relations with the continent.