President issues statement following meeting with Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs

President Michael D. Higgins has described his meeting this morning with Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, as productive, with the two discussing environmental justice and sustainable development.

Yesterday, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris welcomed Vieira to Dublin to commence the first-ever official visit by a Brazilian foreign minister to Ireland despite a high population of Brazilian immigrants in Ireland. In 2018, Brazil was ranked first in the top 10 registered nationalities in Ireland at 16% of the overall total, according to the Irish census.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Ireland and Brazil officially establishing diplomatic relations. Vieira's visit is the highest level of diplomatic engagement by a Brazilian politician to Ireland since.

In his statement, President Higgins thanked Vieira and praised Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's work on climate-related issues amid "extremely challenging conditions" in the country. After President Lula won the 2022 election over far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, supporters of Bolsonaro attacked federal government buildings in Brazil's capital, refusing to accept Lula's presidency.

"I very much welcome the opportunity of meeting with Foreign Minster Vieira today and of expressing my support as President of Ireland for the vital work which President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Government are doing, in extremely challenging conditions," the President wrote.

The visit came at a historic time for Brazil, as the country is set to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November. President Higgins referenced diplomat, humanitarian and Easter Rising leader Roger Casement, who worked as a consul in the region of Belém in 1907. Casement was renowned for his reports exposing atrocities committed against native workers in the Amazon.

"For those who believe in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable development, globally and within Europe, he [President Lula] is the best ally which they have internationally in achieving these goals," President Higgins wrote.

"At COP30 in Belém in Brazil in November, a city with which Ireland has a connection through the work of Roger Casement, there needs to be an effective alliance to resist the domination of COP by lobbyists on behalf of oil and logging."

Brazil held the presidency of the G20 in 2024, which focused heavily on environmental issues. Under the G20, Brazil drafted the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a multilateral treaty supporting the elimination of hunger and poverty to regions around the world, which Ireland signed at last year's G20 summit.

"I commend Brazil on the strong focus placed on sustainable development during its Presidency of the G20 and I am very pleased that Ireland has joined the Global Alliance Against Poverty and Hunger established by President Lula," President Higgins wrote.

The President also discussed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation, which aims to encourage and facilitate sustainable development of the Amazon. The Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most biodiverse rainforest in the world, covering 40% of the South American continent and producing 20% of Earth's oxygen.

However, 40% of the areas of the Amazon rainforest most critical to curbing climate change had not been granted special government protection in 2024 amid massive deforestation. Economic losses because of deforestation in Brazil are estimated to be 7 times more than the cost of all commodities produced through deforestation. According to the Amazon Network of Georeferenced Socio-Environmental Information, up to 23.7 million hectares of forest in the Amazon may have been lost in the past five years— an area around 3.5 times that of Ireland.

The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation has been one way Brazil and its allies have attempted to combat the negative impacts of deforestation through regional cooperation and strategising for a solution.

"The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation represents one of the most positive voices with regard to the long view of climate change," President Higgins wrote.

"Under grave difficulties, they are seeking to fight against the speculative money funding illegal logging and the thousands involved in lobbying for fossil fuel conglomerates. President Lula and Brazil should be given support by all those who believe in the importance of reversing the perilous position into which the future of all forms of life on the planet have been plunged."

Along with climate issues, the President also expressed support for Brazil's indigenous population of nearly 1,700,000 as COP30 approaches. While 21% of the Amazon in Brazil has been secured as indigenous land and a Ministry of Native People was established in 2023 to protect indigenous interests, deforestation threatens these communities' safety and security.

"It is also important that the recognition and presence of indigenous people, whom Brazil and President Lula wants to get appropriate recognition and centrality, should not be reduced to being a sideshow of COP30," President Higgins wrote.

"The support of Ireland and those EU member states who share our perspective will be vital in achieving this.”

Read the full statement here.