Scholz on a four-day tour of South Africa
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is leaving today for a four-day tour of South America. He will visit Argentina, Chile and Brazil. This is his first visit to the region after he has been at the head of the German government since the end of 2021, DPA reported.
The social democrat's first stop is Argentina, tomorrow he will go to Chile, and then on a two-day visit to Brazil – the largest and most populated country on the continent. All three countries are currently led by leftist leaders.
The chancellor wants to expand Germany's international contacts and reduce its energy dependence on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Because of this, Scholz has been to Asia three times and made a grand tour of Africa.
South America has large deposits of raw materials, including lithium, which is an important element for the production of electric vehicles. Europe is struggling to reduce its dependence on China for key minerals to achieve the much-desired carbon-neutral economy – minerals the continent is rich in.
The chancellor is accompanied by a business delegation of a dozen managers.
The visit will also focus on stalled free trade negotiations with Mercosur countries, including Argentina and Brazil. These two countries are also members of the G-20, the union of the world's 20 largest economies.