BRAZIL-AFRICA RELATIONS: FROM THE SLAVE NEXUS TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Abstract

The Brazilian relations with the African continent, after a long period of estrangement, gained a new momentum since the 2000’s. The historical links, the consolidation of a Brazilian policy of Africa and the important changes on the African continent are present in the Brazilian perspective about the need of rapprochement and cooperation. The discourse and the diplomatic practice converge to the building of preferential alliances with partners in the context of South-South relations. In this perspective, the African continent represents one of the largest investment areas in diplomatic terms from the recent governments. And still, the building of a strategic space that connects Brazil to the African coast makes the Atlantic Ocean an area to be preserved for cooperation between both sides. In this sense, this study evaluates the interaction between Brazil and the African continent and analyses the Brazil-Africa relations, especially Lusophone Africa, in the framework of South-South Cooperation.