First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić 23 February in Brasilia met with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergio Danese and Defence Minister Jacques Wagner. This is the first visit by a Croatian FM to Brazil in 18 years and the second in history.
Pusić recalled that her former counterpart Antonio Patriota visited Croatia the day after it joined the EU. The 2013 meeting of the EU and Latin American prime ministers in Chile marked the onset of intensified communication between the two countries’ ministries and the building of relations. Pusić and Danese discussed the prospects of advancing bilateral relations, notably the project of building ships for Brazilian customers in Croatian shipyards and the construction of parts for Brazilian oil and gas exploration platforms. They also agreed on a final draft of a Memorandum of Understanding as well as on delegating active roles to deputy foreign ministers to implement that project. That means, Pusić said, that Croatian shipbuilders would come to Brazil not just to sign a general cooperation framework in shipbuilding but to attend concrete talks with potential Brazilian customers, shipping companies. "Brazil intends to build about 500 ships by 2020. It cannot do this alone and that is why Croatian shipbuilders are particularly interesting," said Pusić. “We also talked about the possibility of cooperating in infrastructure, including railways, as well as cooperation in military and defence industry, which is why the Croatian delegation is joined by General Knežević, representing the Alan Agency” Pusić said. The military and defence industry offers a lot of possibilities for joint appearance on third-country markets, both in terms of equipment and armament. The two officials also discussed the prospects of sewing Brazilian uniforms in Croatia.
“In order to show how good our companies work, I have dress a Varteks suit, which is the company viable to make Brazilian army uniforms,” Pusić said.
During talks with Defence Minister Jacques Wagner, Pusić spoke about the possibility of Brazilian helicopter pilots coming to Croatia for training and about possible cooperation in training for UN missions, considering that a training centre for peace missions exists in Brazil. The two officials discussed Croatia's participation in a military fair to be held in April in Brazil. “I hope that Wagner will visit Croatia this year. I think we have opened enough topics and projects, some of which could certainly begin to be realized before year’s end,” said Pusić.
With Head of the EU Delegation to Brazil Ana Paula Zacarias Pusić discussed the EU-Brazil Free Trade Agreement, notably the matter of compensations as Brazil lost trade and export partners due to the EU regulations restricting customs fees for non-EU countries. “That is why free trade agreements are important. An EU-Brazilian summit is scheduled for the spring, followed by a meeting in Brussels between the EU prime ministers and CELAC heads of government or states,” Pusić announced. Brazil is the world’s sixth economic power, with a great potential for growth, and Croatia’s EU membership should give new impetus to the two countries’ economic cooperation, given that Brazil is one of Europe’s ten strategic partners in the world.
Pusić is scheduled to continue her South American tour on Tuesday and Wednesday in Columbia.