News from Berlin

Angela Merkel's Visit to Brazil

June 18th, 2014
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News from Berlin - In a 2006 interview for the German newspaper “Bild am Sonntag”, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel,  compared football to politics: “Footballers need fitness and stamina - as do politicians. Again and again you are presented with opportunities that you have to make the most of.”

In light of that interview, she made the most out of her visit to Brazil where the German football team is playing in the World Cup. The Chancellor started her two-day trip on June 15 in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, with a working dinner hosted by the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff.

Brazil is Germany’s biggest Latin American trading partner, with their trade relations amounting to 16.3 billion euros annually. The two Heads of State discussed opportunities for strengthening economic ties along the lines of bilateral investment projects and the free trade agreement between Mercosur (a South American trade bloc) and the EU, which is still on the negotiating table.

The agenda also included Internet privacy, a topic that is highly relevant after the two countries signed a joint resolution introduced at the UN General Assembly late last year in response to surveillance scandals. Ms. Merkel also announced that the two sides would begin regular diplomatic consultations in the coming year.

After her meeting with Ms. Rousseff, the Chancellor headed East to the Brazilian city of Salvador where she watched the German Mannschaft’s debut in the World Cup against Portugal. After the team scored a landslide win of 4-0, the players took pictures with Angela Merkel, which became an Internet sensation overnight.

 

News from Berlin – Berlin Global