Brazil's Lula pays tribute to Africa's historic role

Brazil is committed to help Africa build a future of stability and development, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said.

On his last African tour as president, he said Brazil could never repay its historic debt to the continent.
His successor would have a moral duty to increase trade and investment, he told West African leaders in Cape Verde
Brazilian trade with Africa has quadrupled since Lula became president in 2002.
The Brazilian leader has made improving links with Africa a vital part of his foreign policy, which emphasises "South-South" relations.
He has toured the continent at least ten times, visiting 25 different countries.
Despite high popularity ratings at home, he is barred by the Brazilian constitution from a third consecutive term as president and must step down after elections in October.
'Historic debt' "Today we are united for the future," President Lula told a summit of the West African regional grouping Ecowas in Santa Maria, Cape Verde.
"Brazil - not just me - took a political decision to make a re-encounter with the African continent."
He said Brazil could never repay its "historic debt" to Africa - a reference to the millions of Brazilians who are descended from African slaves.
"Brazil would not be what it is today without the participation of millions of Africans who helped build our country."
He said Brazil was determined to help eliminate hunger and poverty in Africa through trade, investment and the transfer of technology.
"Whoever comes after me has the moral, political and ethical obligation to do much more."
'Defender of Africa' President Pedro Pires of Cape Verde paid homage to Lula on behalf of Ecowas.
"Brazil is a country that is respected and listened to, and its president is a great defender of Africa's interests. It should have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council," he said.
Trade between Brazil and Africa has grown from $6bn (£4bn) to $24bn (£16bn) under President Lula.
Brazilian companies have invested heavily in oil and mining, and have taken on big infrastructure projects.
Lula has also promoted cooperation on agricultural development and bio fuels, and launched an international television station - TV Brasil Internacional - that broadcasts to African nations.
Lula's final tour also takes in Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa.
He will attend the Fifa World Cup final as leader of the host country for the 2014 tournament.
He said he hoped Brazil would face an African team in the final in 2014.

Source: WN

Mortars hit Green Zone during Biden visit

Three mortar rounds struck harmlessly inside Baghdad's Green Zone on Sunday night during a weekend visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. and Iraqi officials said.
No damage or injuries were reported from the bombardment, which occurred about 10:30 p.m. Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET).
The district, formally known as the International Zone, houses Iraqi government offices and the U.S. Embassy. But there were no injuries or damage reported from the shelling, Iraqi Interior Ministry and U.S. officials told CNN.
The district was a frequent target of rocket and mortar attacks during the worst of the war that followed the U.S. invasion in 2003. A similar attack struck during a Biden visit in September.
Biden landed in Iraq on Saturday to celebrate the U.S. Independence Day holiday with American troops, the White House said.
He also met with Iraqi political leaders, including Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and with former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, whose political coalition narrowly won an election in March.
Iraqi political factions are still negotiating who will lead the new government following that vote. Biden told them after their meeting that "you must have all voices represented in this government for it to be successful," and noted later that a country's second election -- not its first -- is "the most important election in a country's history."
"Now there's a new parliament that's been seated, and when the new government is formed, it will mark something absolutely extraordinary -- a peaceful transition of power encompassing all the people of Iraq, maybe for the first time in their history," Biden said during remarks Sunday at Camp Victory, the U.S. base near Baghdad's airport.

And Biden said the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq will continue as scheduled, with the pullout expected to be complete by the end of August. But he said 50,000 Americans will remain to train and support Iraqi forces, and the United States will remain engaged with Iraq "diplomatically, politically, economically, culturally (and) scientifically."

Source: CNN