The Diplomat
The headquarters of the Spanish multinational Mapfre, which holds the presidency of the Spain-Brazil Council Foundation (FCEB), hosted the last meeting of the Board of Trustees of the year, which included the participation of the Brazilian ambassador to Spain, Orlando Leite Ribeiro, and the general director for Ibero-America and the Caribbean of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Enrique Yturriaga.
In this year-end meeting, which took place on December 18, a complete assessment of the activities carried out during 2023 was made and the Action Plan for 2024 was presented, as reported by the Council Foundation in a note. of press.
During his speech, Enrique Yturriaga highlighted the great potential of relations between Spain and Brazil and the importance of the solid economic connections between both countries. Spain is the second foreign investor in Brazil and the South American country is the fourth destination for Spanish investments abroad. The general director also detailed Brazil’s economic projections and expressed his willingness to continue promoting the bilateral relationship, which is considered strategic for Spanish foreign policy.
For his part, Brazil’s ambassador to Spain reiterated that Spain and Brazil are strategic partners, because Spain is the bridge for Brazil in Europe, while Brazil is the gateway for Spanish interests in Latin America.
He also highlighted the political harmony between both nations, as was evident during the visit of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Spain, and advocated further strengthening Brazil-Spain relations in the 2024-2025 biennium, which will be crucial for Brazil on the international stage, as it will preside over the BRICS, the G20 and the COP30. Finally, Leite expressed his appreciation to the Foundation for his contribution to the rapprochement between Spain and Brazil, as well as for his prominent role in increasing bilateral exchanges.
The members of the Board of Trustees expressed their satisfaction with the value and quality of the activities organized by the FCEB throughout 2023 and expressed their high expectations for next year. “The meeting of the FCEB Board of Trustees marked a successful closing for the year 2023, demonstrating, once again, that relations between Spain and Brazil are in constant evolution and growth,” highlighted the Council Foundation. “The outlook for 2024 looks promising and the Foundation is positioned as a key actor in strengthening ties between both countries,” it concluded.
