Forbes Magazine highlights Eduardo Maneira's participation in the International Economic Forum

Magazine report Forbes África Lusófona highlighted the holding of the International Economic Forum, held this week in Lisbon. The event brought together political authorities, businesspeople, jurists and intellectuals from several Portuguese-speaking and Francophone countries. Dr. Eduardo Maneira was one of the speakers.

At the event, promoted by the Instituto Mundo Lusófono, participants debated ideas and solutions for the recovery of the global economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Eduardo Maneira, partner at Maneira Advogados and professor at UFRJ, participated in the debates and addressed the need for Brazil to advance in discussions around tax reform to improve the business environment. Forbes highlighted that in his participation, Maneira highlighted the importance of strengthening the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) so that opportunities can be created for all the economies of Portuguese-speaking countries.

Portuguese-speaking countries present solutions for economic recovery

18 May, 2022 15:34, Dírcia Lopes

The forum “After Covid and the tragic situation in Ukraine: What economic recovery?”, promoted by the Instituto do Mundo Lusophone, left clues for new cooperation between Portuguese speakers.

An audience of ambassadors, businesspeople, Lusophone and Francophone government officials gathered as part of the International Economic Forum, promoted by the Lusophone World Institute, to debate ideas and solutions to answer the key question that served as the event's motto: “After Covid-19 and the tragic situation in Ukraine: what economic recovery?”.

During the Forum, which took place at the Centro Cultural de Belém, participants from Angola, France, Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique sought to define a common strategy to face the challenges of the future that concern the Portuguese-speaking and Francophone universe, as well as the rest of the world.

The vice-president of Lisbon City Council, Filipe Anacoreta Correia, opened the Forum where he faced the challenge of placing the Lisbon capital “not as the corner of Europe, but as the opening of Europe to all the worlds”.

For her part, the president of the Instituto Mundo Lusófono, Isabelle de Oliveira – who organized the event – highlighted that the Forum served as “a privileged space for dialogue and sharing of ideas”, with solidarity as its basis of support, to face new challenges and “create noble projects from civil society”.

Moderating one of the panels was the former Portuguese Minister of Health and Equality, Maria de Belém Roseira, who highlighted the importance and need for Portuguese-speaking countries to design a common strategy. This is because, in his words, “the evil of others is our evil too”. Maria de Belém defended that it is important to establish “enlightened cooperation between Portuguese-speaking countries, which is not the cooperation of the past”. This goal requires very clear objectives, suggested the former governor.

During his intervention, the Brazilian professor of Tax Law at the National Faculty of Law of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Maneira, highlighted the importance of strengthening the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) so that opportunities are created for all the economies of Portuguese-speaking countries, in addition to detailing that new technologies can be transformative and a business opportunity “for everyone brotherly countries.”

In view of the possible food shortages that the world may face, due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock of Angola, João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha, highlighted the potential that this sector already represents in his country. The official said that the agriculture and livestock sector is one of the most important, even though oil is the main exported product. But with the government decision “to gradually get rid of oil”, agriculture and livestock farming will gain more prominence.

João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha recalled that the country has 35 million hectares available, but only 15% are being used, which presupposes a large margin for progression. Among the potential of the Angolan market, he also highlighted the fact that it holds the second largest water reserves, has railway, airport and port infrastructure, without forgetting the availability of resources to boost renewable energy.

The Angolan government official has no doubt that it is possible to transform these “potentialities into real business opportunities”, with space to serve not only the Southern African market.

In turn, the former Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and former Governor of the National Bank of Angola, Aguinaldo Jaime, recalled that Sub-Saharan Africa was one of the hardest hit by the effects of Covid-19, which dashed promising economic growth forecasts.

Aguinaldo Jaime highlighted that in addition to the penalizing effects of the health crisis, countries are now facing the consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Therefore, faced with the rise in the price of food, energy and exchange rates, it is necessary, in his words, to find a balance between inflation and economic growth. “There has to be a harmony between fiscal policy and monetary policy”, warned the former Angolan ruler.

The ambassador of Equatorial Guinea in Lisbon, Tito Mba Ada, took advantage of his speech to claim that his country is a full and natural member of the Portuguese-speaking world. And he recalled some historical facts that in his view prove this connection, reinforced with the integration of Equatorial Guinea into the CPLP in 2014.

Tito Mba Ada also guaranteed that the country “can offer opportunities for economic recovery”. Even though it is small, the diplomat said that the country has “great maritime extension, soil, political stability, has ratified the African Free Trade Agreement”, so it is prepared to receive investments.

At the end of this Forum, trophies were handed out to the ambassadors of the Instituto Mundo Lusófono: Daniel Alves, FC Barcelona player, sociologist Abouessalam Morin and the founder of Rock in Rio, Maria Alice Medina. Madeiran businessman Luís de Sousa, CEO of ACIN, received the Businessman of the Year award from the International Economic Forum.