2024 marks 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Brazil. How would you assess the development of this bilateral relationship over the past three decades?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Relations between Vietnam and Brazil have flourished steadily over the past 35 years. The two nations have established a strong foundation for dialogue in political, economic, and cultural fields. Despite geographical distance and differences in language and culture, both sides have made significant efforts to build a cooperative framework in key areas and maintain regular consultation mechanisms, such as the Joint Commission and the Joint Consultation Committee, to discuss issues of mutual concern.

Economic and trade cooperation stands as one of the most significant pillars of Vietnam-Brazil relations. Bilateral trade currently amounts to $7 billion and is projected to increase to approximately $15 billion by 2030.

Brazil is Vietnam's leading trade partner in Latin America and ranks among ASEAN’s top trade partners globally. The two nations are also exploring new areas of cooperation aligned with global development trends and shared interests.

Brazil leads in strategic areas such as food security (green agriculture) and renewable energy, exemplified by its widespread use of ethanol. These areas offer immense potential for bilateral collaboration.

The Comprehensive Partnership established in 2007 laid the foundation for Brazil-Vietnam relations. During recent high-level meetings, the relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership. Could you elaborate on this diplomatic milestone?

Ambassador Marco Farani: I am delighted that President Lula da Silva and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh jointly announced the upgrade of our relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the sidelines of the G20 Summit held in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19.

This new partnership marks a critical step forward, demonstrating mutual maturity and trust. It underscores the increasing global roles and positions of both nations and reaffirms the importance of bilateral cooperation across economics, politics, multilateral diplomacy, and cultural exchange.

Elevating the partnership will enable both nations to better recognize each other’s potential and expand collaboration in key areas, particularly innovation and sustainable development.

As you mentioned, the G20 Summit concluded with multiple discussions addressing critical global challenges. From Brazil’s perspective as the host, what key outcomes of the summit are most relevant for rapidly developing nations like Vietnam and Brazil?

Ambassador Marco Farani: The G20 Summit is a significant international forum, bringing together major economies that account for 85% of global GDP, 75% of world trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population. This year, Brazil had the honor of hosting the summit and utilized this platform to launch the "Global Alliance Against Poverty" initiative, aimed at mobilizing resources to eradicate poverty worldwide.

The initiative received strong support from G20 members, including Vietnam. We hope this alliance will become an effective tool to support vulnerable populations globally, paving the way for a fairer and more prosperous world.

Brazil has made substantial efforts during its G20 presidency, hosting over 100 meetings and introducing significant initiatives on global governance reform. Vietnam's active participation in these initiatives reflects its growing global role and shared commitment to building a just world and a sustainable planet.

Brazil is preparing to conclude its G20 Presidency, marked by significant efforts such as organizing over 100 meetings and introducing major initiatives on global governance reform. How do you envision Vietnam's role in promoting these shared priorities, particularly this year’s theme, "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet"?

Ambassador Marco Farani: The 19th G20 Summit has just concluded, and it is still too early to fully evaluate the outcomes of this significant international event. However, according to the general assessment of world leaders who attended, the Summit was a resounding success.

The Summit adopted a joint declaration consisting of 84 sections, addressing numerous critical issues on the global agenda. These included regulations for the future of artificial intelligence (AI), policies and strategies for poverty eradication, proposals to mitigate the impacts of climate change, commitments to energy transition, and many other areas.

Vietnam is acutely aware of the current global challenges and difficulties. The nation is actively seeking solutions and fostering international cooperation to sustain economic development and achieve social progress.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the G20 Summit in 2024 at Brazil’s invitation. What does Vietnam’s participation signify about the importance Brazil places on Vietnam’s contributions to global issues?

Ambassador Marco Farani: President Lula da Silva personally invited Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during the latter's visit to Brazil last September. This invitation, reiterated by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira during his official visit to Vietnam earlier this year, signifies Brazil’s recognition of Vietnam's growing international stature.

Vietnam has overcome numerous challenges to become a dynamic developing country with an increasingly prominent global position. With its strategic geopolitical location, vibrant diplomacy, political stability, and thriving economy, Vietnam offers valuable insights into addressing global challenges.

Both Brazil and Vietnam are committed to sustainable development and addressing global challenges like climate change and energy transitions. How can the two nations collaborate in multilateral frameworks such as G20, BRICS, and the United Nations?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Brazil and Vietnam are both keenly aware of the socio-economic impacts of climate change on their respective countries. No nation can remain unaffected by the direct or indirect consequences of this global challenge. Brazil has long been a pioneer in scientific research to develop alternative energy sources.

Since the 1970s, during the first oil crisis, Brazil began developing these energy sources. Today, Brazil stands as a global model for energy transition, with approximately 90% of its energy derived from clean sources.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has been building a resilient economy. Despite a gloomy global economic outlook, the World Bank projects Vietnam's economic growth to reach 7.1% this year.

The Vietnamese government is also prioritizing energy development to support its economic growth goals. Brazil and Vietnam have favorable conditions to establish effective cooperation in energy transition, an essential process to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The recent G20 Summit highlighted this issue as one of the agenda’s top priorities, alongside the fight against poverty and global governance reform.

BRICS is another important platform for coordinating economic and diplomatic policies among its members, while minimizing external economic shocks to each member’s economy. Last October, BRICS leaders invited Vietnam and three other nations to join the BRICS Summit as partner countries.

Finally, at the United Nations, Brazil and Vietnam both advocate for multilateralism and consistently play active roles. They demonstrate close coordination, mutual support, and a shared perspective in promoting peace and resolving international disputes through diplomatic means.

Bilateral trade surpassed $7 billion in 2023, with a target of $15 billion by 2030. What sectors offer the greatest potential for growth, and how can the two nations overcome logistics challenges to enhance trade efficiency?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Both nations possess strong economic potential and favorable political environments to boost trade cooperation, particularly as their economies continue to develop. To achieve this goal, both sides need to enhance business delegation exchanges and participate in trade promotion activities such as fairs, exhibitions, workshops, and virtual forums.

The two governments have identified several promising areas for bilateral cooperation, including green agriculture, energy transition, ethanol production and usage, semiconductors, and defense industries.

Last year, Brazil's Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation led a delegation of experts to Vietnam to explore cooperation opportunities in the semiconductor industry.

Additionally, Brazil's Deputy Minister of Agriculture visited Vietnam to discuss ways to advance bilateral agricultural collaboration.

Both nations are also working to improve market access for each other’s agricultural products. In the energy sector, with support from the Brazilian government and the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), the Brazilian Embassy in Vietnam organized the "Ethanol Talks" seminar on renewable energy. The event attracted approximately 100 businesses from both countries and yielded many positive outcomes.

Brazil's strength in agriculture and Vietnam's manufacturing capacity create a complementary foundation for economic cooperation. How can the two countries leverage these strengths to drive mutual economic growth? Are there opportunities for collaboration in high-value fields like green technology and digital transformation?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Brazil and Vietnam are both committed to fostering innovation, applying advanced technology, and developing key industries. Brazil’s agriculture sector has made remarkable progress over the past decades, highlighting the crucial role of science and technology in driving innovation. Brazil is actively advancing a "green revolution" in agriculture.

With only 7% of its agricultural land under cultivation, Brazil produces enough food to feed 800 million people annually, equivalent to 10% of the global population. Today, Brazil is one of the world's leaders in sustainable agriculture.

Brazil also boasts the most comprehensive decarbonization program globally. Ninety-three percent of cars manufactured in Brazil run on biofuels derived from renewable energy sources. Biofuel is a core component of Brazil's National Energy Strategy.

In digital transformation, Brazil leads as a pioneer with its "E-Digital - Promoting E-Government" program. According to the World Bank, Brazil ranks first in the Americas and second globally in digital government.

Across these areas, Brazil and Vietnam have immense potential for collaboration, which must be further explored and utilized.

Vietnam has expressed a desire to promptly initiate Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Mercosur. What is Brazil's perspective on this prospect?

Ambassador Marco Farani: The resumption of dialogue between Vietnam and the Mercosur bloc regarding an FTA is a topic regularly discussed in bilateral meetings.

Brazil places significant importance on regional free trade agreements like Mercosur because they contribute to promoting international economic integration. However, this issue must be considered within the context of multilateral mechanisms, which involve the diverse interests of member countries, making negotiations more complex.

Mercosur operates on a consultation and consensus mechanism among its member states. During the two meetings between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Lula da Silva, this issue was brought up and is currently under careful review by Brazil’s relevant authorities.

Beyond trade, how does the Ambassador assess the investment potential of Brazil in Vietnam and vice versa?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Several new areas of cooperation have been identified by both sides. Interest among the business communities of the two nations is increasing, with numerous projects in energy, agriculture, and digital transformation currently under discussion. Major Vietnamese corporations, such as VinFast, have collaborated with Brazilian engineers to exchange knowledge and expertise in automobile manufacturing.

Looking to the future, what are your expectations for Vietnam-Brazil relations? In your view, which areas - economic, cultural, political, or environmental - will drive the partnership to new heights?

Ambassador Marco Farani: Since arriving in Vietnam and learning more about your country, I have observed immense potential for cooperation between our two dynamically developing nations. I believe that the elevation of Vietnam-Brazil relations to a Strategic Partnership is a natural and essential step forward.

Developing a bilateral agenda for the coming years is a critical task, but we already have strong pillars to deepen this relationship, namely mutual trust and shared benefits.

Over the past 35 years, the two countries have made continuous efforts to strengthen their friendship and cooperation for mutual benefit and development. Building on this foundation, I am confident that we will continue to foster effective collaboration, share values of peace and ethics, and implement promising projects in strategic areas.