Decades long neglected, now courted: With the new Latin America Initiative, tried the German foreign Minister, lost territory back conquer. How credible is the advance?
At the start of his South America trip Minister Heiko Maas with actress Sibel Kekilli (R) visited the Outside of an organization for women’s rights in Salvador da Bahia
Two Lines. More than a Mini-message is the biggest Brazilian daily newspaper “Folha de São Paulo” the visit of the German foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, apparently, not worth it. The new Latin America Initiative of the Minister, wants to revive during his four-day trip to Brazil, Colombia and Mexico relations “and boost” mentioned the newspaper.
The media in Colombia and Mexico, the trip of the Minister so far completely unmentioned. According to Brazil, Maas will inform in Colombia on the Situation of refugees from Venezuela, as well as about the situation of former guerrilla fighters. In Mexico, he will meet with his counterpart, Marcelo Ebrard.
Germany and Latin America, there was what? “Latin America is far too long from our point of view,” admits Maas in a Statement. “Strong alliances for human rights and multilateralism in Latin America will be in the world of tomorrow a lot more valuable than most imagine today.”
Competitor To China
The German rediscovery of Latin America probably has less to do with human rights and more economic. “Even if Maas argues, is not likely to be the political priority of the trip,” says Thomas W. O’donnell of the Hertie School of Governance. Critical of the growing economic and political influence of China in the Region is for the experts on international relations.
“China is going to develop into a producer of high-quality industrial goods,” says Thomas W. O’donnell. So do German manufacturers that are traditionally specialized in the Export of high quality goods, competition. O’donnell: “The quality is low, but the Chinese products are cheaper.”
Germany disappointed
In the face of growing Chinese influence, and the traditionally strong presence of the United States, the German Latin America Initiative will be included in the Region. To deep the disappointment sits over the decades of German neglect. In addition, Brazil’s new President Jair Bolsonaro much more for US President Donald Trump is interested in as a German government representative.
Trailer Trumps: Brazil’s President Bolsonaro during his visit to the White house in March of this year
The list of well-intentioned, but ultimately failed political overtures between Germany and Latin America is long. Already Ex-Chancellor Helmut Kohl, left, in 1995, a Latin American concept. During his visit in September 1996, in Brazil, he admitted that the German companies involved and the extensive privatisations of the 90s in the Region, but this had left to the Spanish, French, Portuguese, and American consortia.
Russia and China were more important
In 2002, there was a new start-up. By a so-called German-Brazilian infrastructure initiative investment to Latin America should be increased. However, after the visit of Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in February 2002, the project went back to sleep. Schröder focused instead on projects with Russia and China.
The recent attempt at rapprochement under Chancellor Angela Merkel. They traveled in August 2015, with half of her Cabinet for the first time to government consultations to Brasilia. Due to the political crisis in Brazil, it remained, however, in the case of the one-time consultation.
Cautiously optimistic: entrepreneurs and LAI-Chairman Reinhold Festge produces steel wires with his company Haver & Boecke in Latin America
“The Germans to the Brazilians to be particularly skeptical,” says the Chairman of the Latin America Initiative of German business (LAI), Reinhold Festge. In an interview with DW, he explains: “in Spite of the many of the points made disastrous policy of Brazil, the perspectives from the market are actually good.”
Around 4,000 German companies are represented in Latin America, more than 1000 alone in the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo. The Latin America Initiative of German business was founded in 1994, long before the economic catching up of China in the Region.
“Important Partner for Germany”
The German economy in Brazil so far, to the supporters of the President Bolsonaro. “The cooperation between the government and the entrepreneurs running very well and efficiently”, André Clark, CEO of Siemens in Brazil, to cite the most recent country report of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in Brazil.
Jan Woischnik, head of the KAS office in Brazil, adds: “It is a fair and constructive way of dealing with the Bolsonaro-Administration.” Because Brazil is the fourth-largest democracy and ninth largest economy, an extremely important Partner for Germany.
Also in the protection of the Amazon, both countries look back on a long-standing partnership: Germany, the main donor, the largest environmental programme for the protection of the rain forest, called PPG7. Wore it with 350 million euros, two thirds of the costs of the G7 countries launched programme.
Demonstrators protest in front of the Brazilian Embassy in Berlin against the increasing destruction of the Amazon
As a sign of his political emphasis on human rights Minister Heiko Maas met outside before the official reception by President Bolsonaro and his Brazilian counterpart Ernesto Araújo with representatives of the network for the strengthening of women’s rights in Salvador da Bahia.
For the 28. May has invited Maas to its Latin American counterpart to a Latin America conference in the Federal Foreign office in Berlin. It is not yet clear who is coming. The number of participants could be an indication of how the new German Latin America Initiative arrives in the Region.