Today, Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews kicked-off his trip to Brasilia, Brazil by meeting with business and government leaders at the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum. As the largest economy in Latin America, Brazil offers U.S. businesses looking to enter or expand their business in the region many diverse opportunities. Launched in 2007, the CEO Forum encourages collaboration from the public and private sectors of both countries, and provides specific recommendations to both the U.S. and Brazilian governments on how to improve their economic and commercial relationship.

 

Bilateral trade between the U.S. and Brazil reached nearly $73 billion last year, but there is still more that can be done to encourage a stronger trade relationship.  During the Forum, business leaders representing a wide range of industries, from energy to technology, will share their forward-leaning vision of what the U.S.-Brazil commercial relationship can look like in five years. Along with input from government leaders, attendees will draft specific and actionable recommendations to the U.S. and Brazilian governments on how to reach this goal and strengthen bilateral economic and commercial ties. 

 

In addition to Deputy Secretary Andrews, leaders of the forum included U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs Caroline Atkinson; Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade Armando Monteiro; and Minister Chief of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil Aloizio Mercadante.

 

Deputy Secretary Andrews’ trip is ahead of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s visit to Washington, D.C. later this month. Both trips highlight the importance of further strengthening the relationship between two of the world’s leading democracies and economies.