Why Europe wants to strengthen ties with South America

Europe appears to be on a diplomatic offensive in South America. This is according to a study by Politico. In recent months, several European leaders have traveled to the continent, such as Prime Minister Rutte, who traveled to Brazil to meet with Brazilian President Lula. ‘China has invested heavily there, and Europe is struggling,’ says reporter Geert Jan Hahn.

Wrote a Spanish newspaper last year El Pies Although the European Commission wants to strengthen ties with South America, those ties have been on the back burner since 2015. As president of the European Union, Spain intends to play a leading role in this later this year.

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“I don’t want to say that China bought South America, but they managed it commercially, started investing, and Europe is having a hard time there,” Han says. In addition to Rudd’s visit to Lula, the British Foreign Secretary is in South America this week. The German Foreign Minister is also going there, and Chancellor Schulz has already done so.

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raw materials

‘It doesn’t work in a European context,’ Hahn says. ‘For example, if you want to make a good impression as a geopolitical player like the EU in South America, you have to defend your interests there. For example, when it comes to raw materials.’ But Hahn thinks it will be more difficult without a European foreign minister. ‘If we had a big role where all the countries were investing money to finance big infrastructure projects, it would work well.’

In this sense, Hahn is concerned about the reconstruction of Ukraine. “All countries will invest in it in their own way. But when you have a big European pot you really make big progress.’