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Fluminense Federal Institute, Pan-African Council, and Consulate General of Angola Sign Academic Cooperation Agreement

CAMPOS DOS GOYTACAZES, RJ – September 13, 2025 – The Fluminense Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology (IFFluminense), in partnership with the Pan-African Council (PAC), has formalized a Memorandum of Understanding to foster collaboration in teaching, research, and extension activities. The agreement was co-signed by the Consul General of Angola in Rio de Janeiro and the Brazil-Angola Chamber of Commerce, with negotiations facilitated by the Pan-African Council, a strategic partner of the consulate.

The memorandum establishes a framework for mutual cooperation in teaching, research, extension, development, and cultural promotion, with a duration of five years.

Key areas of collaboration include:

• Exchange programs for professors, administrative staff, and students.
• Technical and scientific development initiatives for faculty and students.
• Joint implementation of teaching, research, and extension projects.
• Promotion of intercultural exchange activities among participants.
• Organization and participation in technical, scientific, and academic events.
• Sharing of academic materials and information.
• Development of short-term academic programs.
• Establishment of research networks and promotion of academic publications.

This partnership will operate under a model of mutual collaboration, with activities coordinated by IFFluminense’s International Cooperation Office and the Pan-African Council’s Office in South Africa. The agreement was signed by Victor Barbosa Saraiva, Rector of IFFluminense, and Rogério Soares de Siqueira, Ambassador of the Pan-African Council to Brazil.

This collaboration is poised to strengthen global and intercultural perspectives in education, science, and technology, fostering significant outcomes for all parties involved.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – [November 26, 2024]

* Translated from Firjan

The Pan-African Council’s Brazil Chapter presented at the Brazil-Angola Business Connections Forum: Perspectives and Opportunities, held at the Firjan headquarters and brought together businesspeople and public authorities from both countries this November to discuss the expansion of bilateral business. Firjan CIRJ director Mauro Varejão recalled that Brazil already exports plastic, granite and other products to the African country, but that there are many opportunities to increase the flow of bilateral trade.

“We have historical and cultural ties with Angola, especially the language, which facilitates trade negotiations. Brazil was the 15th destination for Angolan exports. We have the potential to expand this flow. I hope the forum inspires many businesses,” highlighted Varejão, who is also President of the Union of Marble, Granite and Related Rock Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Simagran).

The Angolan Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, Mateus de Sá Miranda, also reinforced the idea of ​​the union of the two countries due to historical and cultural ties and recalled that Brazil was the first to recognize Angola’s independence, in 1975. “Angola was an agricultural country, one of the largest producers of coffee and cotton, and became a major exporter of oil. The Angolan government has established priorities to diversify the economy. Take advantage of the opportunity to do business in Angola, which is open to all who wish to invest,” encouraged the Consul General.

Also participating in the opening were the presidents of the Union of Refrigeration, Heating and Air Treatment Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Sindratar), Leonardo Salles; of the Angola-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Tourism, Science, Technology and Culture (CCAB), Nayt Júnior; and of the Pan-African Council in Brazil, Priscilla Cadette.

The president of Sindratar pointed out that this is a crucial moment for sharing resources and culture between Brazil and Angola. “The country is one of Brazil’s largest trading partners in Africa. We want to strengthen relations, build bridges and solidify our partnership, which is already strong, in addition to creating more opportunities in sectors that are little explored but have great potential,” emphasized Leonardo Salles.

In the panel on Energy and Mining, Maria Lima, Executive Administrator of Catoca, the fourth largest open-pit diamond mine in the world, also explained the opportunities in several mining sectors, such as gold, iron, copper, oil and niobium. “Political stability is the biggest advantage of investing in Angola, and we also have tax incentives and tax exemptions for foreign companies in the country,” said the businesswoman.

Constantino Santos, 1st governor of the Province of Zaire and former Administrative Director of the Development Bank of Angola, pointed out possibilities for partnerships in oil and gas exploration, due to Brazil’s great expertise.

For Firjan SENAI SESI, Fernando Montera, manager of Oil and Gas, Energy and Naval Scenarios, presented the dynamic panel prepared by the federation, which shows the forecast of more than US$ 200 billion in projects mapped out by 2030 in this market in Rio de Janeiro.

“Regarding decarbonization, processes for converting biogas plants to biomethane are planned, among others, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Petrobras announced that it will once again invest in ethanol production, which could generate raw material for biomethane,” explained Montera.

In the panel on the agricultural sector, real estate and business investment, Daniel Luzolo, real estate and environmental consultant, explained that the country’s administrative change has created provinces, which generates the need for infrastructure works. “In the real estate sector, there is a lack of financing, but there are some popular projects.”

Finally, Mario Amaral, Executive Administrator of Hemera Partners, listed investment opportunities in agroprocessing, livestock, tourism and transportation. “Angola borders four countries and the investor will be able to reach other markets.”

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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL  —

Council Ambassador to Brazil, Mr Rogerio Siqueira accompanied the Ambassador of Barbados to Brazil, H.E. Tonika Sealy-Thompson for a high-level meeting with the G20 Rio de Janeiro Summit Committee. In the spirit of cooperation and collective action leading up to the nineteenth meeting of Group of Twenty (G20), the Pan-African Council aims to emphasize Global South participation during the Summit with a special focus on Africa and the Caribbean.

The 2024 G20 Rio de Janeiro summit is scheduled to take place at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro on 18–19 November 2024, the first G20 summit to be held in Brazil. The group that brings together 80% of the GDP of the world economy will meet in Rio over the course of a year.

The Brazilian presidency of the G20 officially started on December 1st, 2023, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as chair, under its theme being “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”.

The country’s National G20 Committee was established on November 23, 2023. Lula highlighted the historic nature of this opportunity for Brazil –– and added that it is time for the agenda around combating inequality, hunger and poverty to be taken up for discussion with the world’s most important leaders. “It is no longer humanly possible to explain how the world can be so rich — that so much money crosses the Atlantic Ocean — and still so many people can be going hungry,” he said.

The Brazilian president also mentioned climate change as another of the country’s priorities in its leadership of the G20. “To Brazil, energy transition is an opportunity that we did not have in the 20th century. Now, in the 21st century, we can show the world that whoever wants to use green energy to produce what is necessary for humanity can come to Brazil: it is a safe haven where people may invest, helping to turn it into a developed country once and for all,” added Lula.

Lula also addressed the need for changes in the global governance system and in the way the true economic needs of developing countries are understood. it is no longer possible for Bretton Woods institutions, the World Bank, IMF and other financial institutions to go on functioning as if nothing were happening in the world, as if everything’s been solved,” he said.

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The international organization sees Brazil as a strategic base for promoting further integration with African countries.

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Rio de Janeiro – The Pan-African Council (PAC) launched its first office in Brazil in central Rio de Janeiro on December 4th, 2019. PAC is the premier global leadership organization dedicated to fostering cooperation between Africa and her Diaspora in the political, economic and social spheres.

In the Americas, the Council already has representative offices in Colombia, the Caribbean region (CARICOM), and the United States. According to the organization’s Chairman, Mr. Fabien Anthony, Brazil was chosen because of its strategic influence and for having the largest population of people of African descent residing outside of the African continent. Anthony highlighted that “Brazil prides itself on an increasingly visible and emerging Afro-Brazilian community that is reshaping its own perception and is positively recognizing itself in its ancestry. We believe that Afro-Brazilians hold the key to Brazil’s equitable and sustainable development and should be protagonists in the active development of their political, trade and social relations with the African continent and the Diaspora at large.”

Based on the pan-Africanist perspectives of Marcus Garvey, Abdias do Nascimento and Edward Du Bois, the Pan-African Council has developed a multi-stakeholder strategy to promote the integration of the global African Diaspora while strengthening ties and broadening the meaning of unity between Brazil and African countries.

PAC’s international headquarters are located in Kigali, Rwanda — considered Africa’s technological, educational and innovation capital. “In accordance with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, PAC works diligently to strengthen initiatives that enable people of African origin to be self-sufficient in their strong identity, heritage, culture and common values ​​and contributing to their own human progress, peaceful coexistence and well-being of the planet. Today’s young generation is confident that the fate of Africa and her Diaspora lies in their hands and that they must act now to shape the future they want,” affirmed its Chairman.

The launch of PAC’s Brazilian office will bring together numerous leaders and diplomats from various sectors such as the manufacturing industry, international trade, politics, entrepreneurship and the media.

In a historic day for the empowerment of the African Diaspora in Brazil, a PAC delegation composed of representatives from South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, the United States and the Caribbean (CARICOM member countries) meets with the President of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and its respective State Deputies.

In a historic day for the empowerment of the African Diaspora in Brazil, a PAC delegation composed of representatives from South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, the United States and the Caribbean (CARICOM member countries) meets with the President of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and its respective State Deputies.

The parties agreed to begin formulating strategies to bolster technical cooperation, investments, tourism, cultural and educational exchange between regions of the Diaspora, individual African countries and Afro-Brazilians at large.

Members of the Legislative Assembly also expressed their unwavering commitment to support policies that will help combat racial inequality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with a special focus on youth development and women.

Furthermore, the Pan-African Council committed to sponsoring 15 outstanding young Afro-Brazilians in the year 2020 to join a larger African Diaspora youth delegation to the Republic of Ghana, in support of the country’s Year of Return initiatives.

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PAC Ambassador to Brazil, Mr. Rodrigo Faustino, alongside the special advisor to the Government for the Campos Prefecture in Brazil, Mr. Rogerio Siqueira have established a cooperation framework for educational exchange in the sciences and humanities with the Republic of Colombia.

As reported by the Brazilian newspaper Folha1, the Brazilian delegation lead the negotiation with Senator Murillo Benitez and Cezar Cabezas for the establishment of the Campos-Colombia project with the interchange of universities and the inclusion of scholarships especially focused on the African Diaspora in both Colombia and Brazil.

The cooperative framework will be followed-up in April, with an official visit from the Colombia delegation to the cities of Campos and Río de Janeiro. For the original Portuguese-language publication, click here.

Pan-African Council leaders have been invited by the Government of the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil (Governo do Estado de Minas Gerais) to speak on the social movements of the African Diaspora.

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The state of Minas Gerais maintains strong links to the African continent, as the Brazilian state with the second highest number of people of African descent in the country. The seminar aims to converge ideas and commitments from governmental institutions, corporations, cultural and education institutions alongside civil society to better combat racial discrimination and institutional racism.

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Pan-African Council Ambassadors visit the city of Salvador da Bahia in Brazil to volunteer for a youth development organization inspired by African spiritual and healing tradition:

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In the forgotten outskirts of Brazil’s third largest city, Salvador da Bahia, one can hear the rhythms and laughter of a young generation yearning for their place in the modern world. The visitor would be surprised to encounter a deep intellectual discourse flourishing in an area seemingly plagued by poverty and drug-related violence. It is in this very setting that Joselito Crispim created a nonprofit in 1991 that goes by the name of “Bagunçaço.” At just 21 years old, Joselito embarked on a mission to make the young people of his community proud of their origins. Now, over 20 years later, his organization helps educate young children and adolescents by providing access to a library of books, skill-building classes, film production workshops, physical activities, cultural exchange opportunities, and music education.

Joselito’s Bangunçaço serves a community center, or better yet a training facility, that relies on a team of volunteers and sponsors to run its activities efficiently. Ranging from 6 to 18 years old, the 140 participants are immersed in a community where they are encouraged to treat each other as brothers, sisters, i.e. a unified family. The project aims to strengthen the self-esteem of children and inspire a passion for learning and fraternity. The parents of these children face harsh economic conditions in a hostile environment where the state public school system failed to properly educate or provide for their children. During my first visit to the center I was proudly greeted by the eldest of the children who were eager to show me their latest creation – an independent film, recorded, scripted, and edited by the children themselves. In the room next door, I observed the children giving voice and rhythm to improvised instruments made of old drums and cans that were once considered garbage in the streets. And just outside the center, groups of children were forming to practice Capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian martial art) and others were preparing for a football match. Officially, the center’s closing hour is at 6:00pm sharp; however, the children are often so filled with energy that they perch themselves at the entrance deep into the night to rehearse the things they have learned that very same day.

This month, Joselito invited and accommodated twenty Danish students of the same age group in a weeklong cultural exchange. Despite the cultural and language barriers between these children from two very different parts of the world, they were assigned a clearly defined mission: to prepare a joint musical performance for the community. Joselito is an educator in the purest sense of the word. The guiding principals of the Bangunçaço project are founded in the values he acquired in his practice of Candomblé: an African spiritual and healing tradition that spread to Brazil during the slave trade, where people live in close communities that mutually help each other and develop responsibilities to serve their communities. His philosophy provides a basis for a new social organization, prepared to transform young adults into the future of Brazil, one mind at a time.