President Mohamed Morsi began his official visit to Brazil on Tuesday as part of a three day trip as the head of a large economic delegation. Upon his arrival on Wednesday Morsi is expected to meet President Dilma Vana Rousseff, Brazil's first democratically elected female president. The visit is a historic first by an Egyptian leader. According to the State Information Services the delegation will focus on discussing ways of strengthening economic and trade cooperation as well as regional and international issues pertaining to the Arab world and Latin America. Morsi will meet Rousseff in Brasília as well as Senate President José Renan Vasconcelos Calheiros before heading to Sao Paulo to participate in the opening of a business forum on Thursday. Morsi will also meet with Egyptian expatriates living in Brazil before returning to Egypt on Friday. Morsi's visit to Brazil marks one of several visits to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries, a group of developing nations characterised by its high level of growth. Presidential Spokesperson Ehab Fahmi called Brazil one of the most important emerging economies in the world and a major player in the global economy through its participation in the BRICS coalition. Aside from the various business investments and trade agreements expected to be signed, Egypt is said to be looking at ways to benefit from Brazil's experience in handling similar economic and social circumstances. According to the State Information Service statement, Egyptian officials are looking to learn from Brazil's experience with social justice and their attempts to eradicate poverty and illiteracy. Egypt's ambassador to Brazil Hossam Zaki was quoted saying Brazil's social programmes, such as its health programmes for children, are among the most important experiences from which Egypt could learn.
