Brazil's president in E-Guinea

2010-07-05 08:20

Malabo - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on an African tour since Saturday, arrived Sunday in Malabo and was welcomed by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

Lula, who arrived from Cape Verde where he attended a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (EcowAS), was to meet with Obiang at the presidential palace on Monday, the presidency here said.

The Brazilian leader was to leave on Monday afternoon for Kenya before going on to Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa, where he will attend the World Cup final on July 11, despite Brazil crashing out to The Netherlands in the quarter finals.

Commercial exchanges between Brazil and African countries have nearly tripled during Lula's tenure.

The trip will be his last to the continent as Brazil's president, because the constitution bars him from a third consecutive term, despite his sky-high 80% popularity ratings.

- AFP