In a 17-point joint statement at the end of Mejia’s official visit to Brazil, President Hipolito Mejia committed the Dominican Republic’s support in the event the United Nations decides to expand the number of permanent members of the Security Council, should Brazil seek to occupy that position. The President Mejia and Brazil President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva also committed to work together to strengthen the ties between both countries.
Hoy newspaper reports that the joint statement includes a clause in which it calls the imbalances in current trade regulations “unjustifiable”. The contention springs from the fact that these regulations allow the use of all kinds of subsidies and barriers on products for which developing countries are more competitive, particularly farm products. At the same time, Mejia said he backs the Brazilian position regarding the FTA of the Americas. Previously, Brazil has been critical of US protectionism. President Mejia agreed to coordinate positions regarding the WTO Doha Round and the FTA of the Americas. In the 17-point joint declaration, Mejia agreed that rules to guarantee special and differentiated treatment for developing countries are important in free trade negotiations.
In other agreements, Brazil commits to donate Brazilian medicine to combat HIV-AIDS and malaria and an extradition treaty between the two countries was formalized.