The Norwegian Government has launched a new strategy for cooperation between Norway and Brazil. Research is an essential and predominant element in the new strategy. Brazil is Norway's most important partner in Latin America.
The Brazil strategy has four main priority areas. Research makes up part of all four areas, to varying degrees. Cooperation in the field of research and higher education is valuable in itself, but can also promote the political, economic and social goals of the strategy.
1. Private sector cooperation, trade and investments
The Government aims at facilitating cooperation on capacity-building and expansion of industry-oriented research. Sectors particularly involved here are oil and gas (with an emphasis on offshore technology), fisheries and aquaculture but also renewable energy.
2. Climate, environment and sustainable development
The Government aims at strengthening the existing bilateral cooperation regarding environmental management, by promoting the involvement of experts and research communities in both countries. The Government also aims at establishing cooperation between Norwegian and Brazilian research institutions in the management of fisheries and aquaculture.
3. Global challenges
The Government aims at contributing towards closer cooperation between research groups and foreign policy institutes, in relation to e.g. global governance issues, global health matters and peacekeeping, peace building and conflict resolution .
4. Knowledge exchanges and social development
The Government wants to strengthen cooperation in research and higher education, identifying measures to build long-term knowledge-based collaboration and facilitating increased exchange of students and researchers.
Role of The Research Council of Norway
As a member of the reference group, The Research Council of Norway was involved in the broad process of bringing about the Brazil strategy.
The strategy will be included as an important background document for the implementation of the Research Council's new general strategy for international cooperation.
In the strategy, the Government announces the intention of strengthening the Research Council's Latin America programme with funds especially earmarked for Norwegian research on and with Brazil.
High priority
The Brazil strategy is a strategy for the Norwegian Government on all perspectives of developing collaboration with the world's seventh largest economy, not only research.
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre and Norwegian Minister of the Environment and Development Cooperation, Erik Solheim, launched the strategy when visiting Brazil recently. Other ministries heavily involved in the process are the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
