Presentation of Norway’s Brazil Strategy in Rio de Janeiro

 

The Minister based his briefing on the following points:

 ·         Thank you for your involvement and interest in the strategy process. The chambers of commerce here in Rio, in Sao Paolo and in Oslo have been very helpful and have played a dynamic role.  You received the strategy working group here in October, giving them ideas and input to kick off the work, and you have been working closely with us providing input and feedback throughout the entire process.  

·         The strategy before you is thus the result of an inclusive and open process. It is fair to say that a broad range of actors, including many different business areas – oil and gas, seafood and the maritime sector being among them – as well as academia, social partners and various NGOs are behind it. It is Norway’s strategy – Norway’s invitation to Brazil.   

·         The strategy was launched a week ago in Oslo, and I am very pleased to be here in Rio de Janeiro today to present it to you. This is my first visit to Brazil, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to see and experience Rio. It is a fascinating and legendary city.  A city that has become hugely important for Norwegian interests in a just a few years. Indeed a city that has been important for our relations right from the start of the bacalhau trade more than 150 years ago. Many people who have been here before me have commented on the sense of excitement, the feeling of a kind of gold rush. And I can feel that too.

 ·         The starting point for the strategy is the simple acknowledgement that Brazil is important to Norway. I must admit that it was the business sector that led the way. You saw the importance of Brazil before the Government did. But I would have been really worried if it had been the other way round!

 ·         So why do we need this strategy? The Government wants to increase awareness of the importance of Brazil in Norway and to understand in which specific areas Norway could contribute and be a valuable partner to Brazil. We want take a fresh look at our relations and to take them a step further.

 ·         Today, Brazil is the world’s seventh largest economy and has huge global political influence. The world is changing, and it is my responsibility to see to it that Norway develops good relations and alliances with countries like Brazil, China, India and Indonesia.

·         The Government and many civil society actors have together developed a broader view of Brazil and a more comprehensive agenda for our cooperation. We see and acknowledge the importance of Brazil in different areas. And I believe that this process – the fact that we see Brazil not only as a business partner, but also as a partner in the fight against climate change, efforts to protect the environment, and other global challenges – will be a big asset for us.

 ·         The strategy sets out what Norway has to offer. It emphasises the importance of partnership between two countries that have many common interests and goals. Our relations are characterised by complementarity rather than competition. We can offer a lot of what Brazil needs in order to reach its ambitious targets. Our petroleum and maritime experience, to mention the obvious. At the same time Brazil has much to offer us. Not only an interesting and developing market, but also knowledge and experience that we can learn from. The strategy makes it clear that Brazil and Norway can develop a closer partnership. This is the Government’s ambition and the strategy will be an important tool in this work.

 ·         The strategy touches on four main areas, discussed in four chapters: 1) private sector cooperation, and trade and investment; 2) climate and environmental issues, and sustainable development; 3) global challenges; and 4) knowledge exchange and social development.

 ·         Your focus in this process has naturally been on the first area – business and investments. It is true that the business sector engagement is the main pillar of our relations today. You just need to open a Norwegian business newspaper to see evidence of that. Trade between our countries increased by 200% in the last decade. Over 100 Norwegian companies are now operating in Brazil (a 100% increase since 2005). Estimates indicate that Norwegian private sector investments and commitments amount to more than USD 25 billion.

·         However, before I say more about this area of cooperation, I would like to emphasise that strong, long-lasting relations are not built on one pillar alone. Countries are not only markets; they are also made up of people, cultures and traditions. The importance of developing ties and fostering exchanges at different levels should not be underestimated. During this process, you have made it very clear that the secret of success in Brazil is understanding its culture and how things work here. Therefore the strategy is not just a business strategy. It is more ambitious and it reaches further. 

·         There are of course synergies between the different areas covered by the strategy. Cooperation in higher education and research will be beneficial for other areas, including the business sector. We need more Norwegians who speak Portuguese and are familiar with Brazil. We would like Brazilians to know more about Norway. We would like to see more institutional cooperation. We are aiming for more dynamism, closer relations and more dialogue between our politicians and diplomats. And we would like more cultural exchanges.  I hope that the strategy will stimulate all of this. It will not happen overnight, but this is what we are working towards.

 ·         Already at this early stage, I am pleased that discussions are underway on offering Brazilian Portuguese language courses at the University of Oslo. There is a budding cooperation in sports, for example in women’s handball, and many ambitious cultural projects are being developed. I hope this is just the beginning.   

·         Now let’s turn to the business sector.  Most of you are managing very well on your own. Nevertheless, the strategy acknowledges some of the challenges you have to deal with. In Brazil you have to play it the Brazilian way. At the same time, the Government will do whatever it can to assist you in this important market. We will:

 -strengthen the dialogue with the Brazilian authorities at different levels;

 -seek to improve market access and framework conditions for Norwegian companies in Brazil and provide support through the bodies established for this purpose;

 -consider initiating negotiations on a free trade agreement and request the start of negotiations on a bilateral shipping agreement;

 -launch an initiative for the establishment of a bilateral economic commission;

 -facilitate private sector cooperation between Norway and Brazil in those sectors where the potential mutual benefits are greatest;

 -facilitate cooperation on capacity-building and increased industry-oriented research; and

 -promote a sound environmental and social profile in business activities in Brazil.

 

·         We have pointed to sectors that we think offer the greatest opportunities for future development. This reflects what an interesting market Brazil is, and shows just how great the potential is for Norwegian companies.

 ·         The strategy also stresses corporate social responsibility. Norwegian businesses in Brazil should be associated with quality, expertise, environmental awareness and CSR. I am proud that the strategy is so clear on this. You know what we expect, and you know that we are confident that Norwegian companies can deliver in this area too.

 ·         We believe that a bilateral economic commission would be a very useful forum, since our economic relations have developed so rapidly. We hope that you agree.

 ·         We believe that trade relations may be stimulated further, and will therefore consider the possibility of initiating negotiations on a free trade agreement. This is a discussion we will have to have at home, and as I am sure you understand it is a complex question, where Norway has different interests to take into account.

·         The possibility of a bilateral maritime agreement was discussed during Mr Giske’s visit here in February. This was also an issue I raised with Mr Patriota yesterday, and the process will start soon. Such an agreement will strengthen cooperation and economic relations between Brazil and Norway in the field of maritime transport, and help to provide predictability and transparency for all parties.

 ·         You now have the strategy – in three different languages – and you will have time to study it in more detail.  What is important for me to say in conclusion is that this is not the end of the process. Indeed it is the beginning. We will develop an action plan and create a Brazil forum, open to all interests, to Norwegians and Brazilians. We will stimulate research cooperation and support projects aiming at educating young people and providing you with skilled labour at the same time. The project Dream, Learn, Work here in Rio, which we support, is a good example of private–public cooperation and a great success. Let this inspire us to look for new ideas and new projects that are of a win-win character.    

 ·         Our missions here in Rio and in Brasilia will focus on the implementation of the strategy in the time ahead. Diplomatic and local staff at both missions will be strengthened. Our Embassy will soon be bigger and look a lot better than it does today. We want to be at your service, and, together with Innovation Norway, Intsok and the Seafood Export Council, to be useful partners for you.

 ·         Sturla Henriksen of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association said at the launch in Oslo that the challenge is not to put together a strategy, but to remember where you put it.

 ·         We will remember where we have put it, and I hope that you will too. Let us work together towards a new dynamic partnership.