Held in Rio de Janeiro, the event was broadcast in four languages
By First Lieutenant (T) Taise Oliveira – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Representatives from South Atlantic littoral states gathered on Wednesday, 25, for the 2nd Maritime Symposium of the South Atlantic Zone of Peace and Cooperation (ZOPACAS), held at the Naval War College in Rio de Janeiro.
With the theme “Strengthening Maritime Cooperation and Security in the South Atlantic”, the event was open to the public and broadcast live, with simultaneous translation into English, French and Spanish. The aim was to promote peace, prosperity, security and stability in Brazil’s strategic environment, contributing to mutual support in the area.
The event was opened by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Admiral José Augusto Vieira da Cunha de Menezes. “This event also represents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite our countries. ZOPACAS is a forum that allows us to work together towards a better future for all citizens in the region, demonstrating how diplomacy and collaboration can overcome complex challenges,” said Admiral Cunha.
The Symposium is in line with the National Defense Policy (PND) and the National Defense Strategy (END), which define the South Atlantic as a strategic priority region for Brazil. These high-level documents also mention the importance of promoting cooperation with South American and African neighbors.
The event featured talks by experts from Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Angola, Cape Verde, Cameroon and Nigeria. The presentations were organized into 3 panels: Cooperation and Resources; Cooperation, Infrastructure and Connectivity; and Regional Cooperation and Maritime Security.
The moderators of the debates were: the Counselor of the Navy’s Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Retired Admiral Álvaro Augusto Dias Monteiro, and the former Commander of the Brazilian Navy (MB), Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior.
About ZOPACAS
Created in 1986 by United Nations Resolution 41/11, ZOPACAS is the result of an initiative by Brazil, supported by Argentina, and includes the following countries: South Africa, Angola, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Uruguay. The aim is to promote regional cooperation, as well as maintaining peace and security around the 24 member countries with coastlines in the South Atlantic.
Another recent meeting of the forum took place in April this year, in the city of Mindelo, Cape Verde. One of the results of the “VIII Ministerial Meeting of ZOPACAS” was the definition of partnerships in areas such as science and technology, education, the environment, strengthening national institutions, the economy, transport and political dialogue, among others.
The Brazilian Navy’s activities in ZOPACAS
MB’s role in the forum goes beyond that of participant. The Brazilian Naval Force promotes debates on maritime issues related to the South Atlantic.
After the First Ministerial Meeting in Rio de Janeiro (1988), the following meetings were held in Abuja, Nigeria (1990); Brasília, Brazil (1994); Somerset West, South Africa (1996); Buenos Aires, Argentina (1998); Luanda, Angola (2007); and Montevideo, Uruguay (2013).
In August 2019, MB held an in-person and videoconference workshop in Brasilia on “ZOPACAS and Security in the South Atlantic”, with the aim of highlighting the topic, updating knowledge and providing a basis for future Force initiatives.
On December 16, 2019, the Brazilian Mission to the United Nations in New York convened a meeting at expert level. Then, on October 27, 2020, the Symposium “The Contribution of ZOPACAS to Economic Development and Maritime Security in the South Atlantic” was held.
In 2021, the current rotating presidency of ZOPACAS presented a preliminary draft resolution on the zone, to be submitted to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which was adopted through resolution A/RES/75/312. The cooperation line of the previous resolution was maintained, incorporating elements such as the definition of a development forum and strengthening cooperation in areas such as: science and technology; education; training; coastal surveillance; the environment; defense; strengthening national institutions; trade; sport; tourism; the economy; communications; transport; culture; and political dialogue.
*** Translated by the DEFCONPress FYI team ***