Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva hailed his country's growing relations with Saudi Arabia and the Middle East on Sunday as he pushed for more trade and investment in the region.
On the landmark first visit by a Brazilian leader to Saudi Arabia, Lula told Saudi and Brazilian businessmen stronger economic ties would leave both nations less vulnerable to the kind of turmoil now besetting leading global economies. "I am here because we need to find new partners," he said at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce. "We have to diversify our trade."