In their Joint Statement of March 19, 2011, Presidents Barack Obama and Dilma Rousseff called for regular meetings of the major U.S.-Brazil bilateral dialogues. In this context, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Minister of External Relations Antonio de Aguiar Patriota convened on June 1, 2011 the second U.S.-Brazil Global Partnership Dialogue (GPD), which was preceded by senior-level meetings on science, technology and the environment; education and culture; trilateral development cooperation and food security; and regional issues.

The second meeting of the GPD advanced the results of President Obama’s State visit to Brazil last March. Secretary Clinton and Minister Patriota recognize the GPD as a venue to strengthen cooperation between the two largest democracies and economies of the Americas on bilateral, regional, and global issues. They highlighted the interdependence of peace, security and development, and reaffirmed that the United States and Brazil share the common objectives of enhancing their bilateral partnership and promoting democracy, human rights, sustainable development, and social inclusion.

The GPD Participants reviewed progress made since the February meeting of the Economic Partnership Dialogue, highlighting the implementation of the Memorandum of Consultation on Air Transport, the entry into force of the Maritime Transport Agreement, and the importance of the recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding on Major Global Sporting Events as tools to promote business and investment.  The Participants discussed the possibility of a joint aviation program between the United States and Brazil in order to enhance private sector engagement and to better enable our economies to rise to the challenges of globalization.

The Participants noted the significance of the Partnership for the Development of Biofuels for Aviation, under the Memorandum of Understanding to Advance the Cooperation on Biofuels, the Steering Committee of which also met on June 1, 2011 in Washington, and underscored the importance of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Brazil reaffirmed its intention to host an ECPA ministerial meeting in the future.

The Participants renewed their decision to enhance cooperation on food security and on development assistance to third countries. They discussed strategies to enhance their existing efforts on trilateral cooperation, including outreach on agricultural biotechnology.  They welcomed progress in concluding programs in Haiti and Africa, and expressed their intent to develop a program in Egypt in the area of decent work in cooperation with the International Labor Organization. They acknowledged the successful implementation of joint initiatives in Mozambique in the areas of food security and agriculture.

The Participants looked forward to planning the next meeting of the U.S.-Brazil Joint Commission on Science and Technology, which features innovation as a key agenda item, at the earliest possible date. They underscored the role of innovation in promoting sustained economic growth, competitiveness, and job creation, and expressed their interest in exploring synergies among existing bilateral initiatives, and enhancing collaboration among government, the academic community, the private sector, and civil society in this area.

The Participants discussed the creation of a working group to foster bilateral cooperation on satellite-based earth observations, environmental monitoring, precipitation measurement, and natural disaster prevention, mitigation and response.

Pursuant to the decision of Presidents Obama and Rousseff to expand educational exchanges and promote cooperation on research and development, the Participants conceived an Action Plan with concrete steps to enhance substantially the exchange of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in science, technology, and other relevant disciplines, and to engage civil society and the private sector in the training of a skilled workforce.

The Participants reaffirmed their intention to promote bilateral cultural cooperation and exchanged views on specific projects in the areas of music, museums and libraries.

The Participants reiterated their intention to work closely in preparation for the United Nations (UN) Conference on Sustainable Development, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012 (Rio+20).  The participants exchanged ideas on the green economy and reaffirmed their intent to work together on the Green Economy Partnership and Joint Initiative on Urban Sustainability in the run up to Rio+20.    They also discussed the upcoming 17th Conference of Parties under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa and reaffirmed their intention to work together toward implementing the agreement reached in Cancun, Mexico. Bearing in mind their common interest in addressing a concrete environmental and health issue, the Participants explored the possibility of joining efforts under the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative in which the U.S. is a leading partner, and the Brazil-led Ethanol for Domestic Use Initiative.

The Participants welcomed the progress achieved under the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Advancement of Women.  They encouraged relevant agencies of both nations to devise work plans in advance of the Joint Action Plan’s high-level steering committee meeting in Brasilia in July 2011. The Participants commended the work underway in both countries to implement the MOU for the Advancement of Women, and in particular efforts aimed to advance women and girls in science and technology, achieve economic empowerment, and combat gender-based violence domestically and in third countries.

In seeking to advance the shared objective of both countries to combat all forms of discrimination, the Participants also underscored the importance of safeguarding individuals who experience discrimination due to their sexual orientation. The participants expressed intent to continue collaborating to advance the human rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) persons within the international community and within international organizations.

The Participants welcomed the creation of a working group to discuss the implementation, both in Brazil and in the United States, of the 1980 Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, and took note of the results of the bilateral meetings held in Brasilia on May 18- 19, 2011.

They noted the increasing flow of travelers between the United States and Brazil, and decided to work together to facilitate this flow.

They took note of the upcoming Political-Military Talks, to be held in Brasilia on June, 3, 2011, during which Brazil and United States will strengthen their dialogue on bilateral and regional issues regarding defense and security.

The Participants reaffirmed their shared objective to promote and protect democracy in the Americas.  They acknowledged the success of presidential elections held in Haiti last March and noted with satisfaction the inauguration of President Michel Joseph Martelly in May 2011. They reaffirmed the intention of both countries to work to facilitate market access for products originated in Haiti. Minister Patriota reiterated that Brazil intends to extend a preferential trade program to that country similar to the U.S. Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) act.

The Participants welcomed the return of Honduras to the Organization of American States (OAS). They stressed the need to make the Inter-American System more transparent and efficient, and to strengthen and streamline the relationship among the Summit of the Americas, the OAS, and other institutions of the system.

The Participants affirmed the valuable contributions towards democracy, peace, cooperation, security and development made by regional and sub-regional integration efforts and agreements, including the Union of South American Nations (UNASUL) and noted the value of dialogue between UNASUL and the United States.

The Participants decided to continue discussions on democracy, development, peace, security, and other shared priorities in Africa and the Middle East.

The participants stressed the need to further cooperate on counternarcotics efforts and combating transnational crime.

The Participants exchanged views on disarmament, nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.  Both sides look forward to discussing these issues more in the coming months.

Both countries discussed important issues and cooperation in the UN Security Council, including conflict-affected areas around the world and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).