Belgium still has the capacity to play the role of mediator on the international stage, Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib said on Monday, summing up her trip to Brazil.
"Faced with a polarised world with increasingly antagonistic positions, we are managing to maintain a happy medium, with access to all parties," she explained in Sao Paulo on Monday in an interview with Belga News Agency.
Ahead of the economic mission led by Princess Astrid, which kicked off on Sunday, Ms. Lahbib travelled on Thursday to the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, to meet her counterpart, Mauro Vieira, and the Minister for Women, Aparecida Gonçalves. Discussions focussed on the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, among other issues.
Belgium is no small player
With regard to the conflict in Ukraine, Belgium is ready to listen to a peace plan proposed by Brazil and China "as long as our common charter, that of the United Nations, is respected, which implies territorial integrity and an end to hostilities in order to bring the parties to the table and launch negotiations on an equal footing," she stressed.
"Brazil is opening other doors for us, including those of countries with which we have more distance," Ms. Lahbib said. ''Brazilian officials appreciate our position, which promotes respect for international law," she commented.
"Belgium is not a small player," Ms. Lahbib added. "We are balanced and in favour of multilateralism’.
'We have solutions to offer them'
The Belgian Foreign Minister hailed, in particular, the success of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, with "historic advances" such as the opening of a framework for negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU.
With regard to the draft agreement between the EU and Mercosur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), the Brazilian authorities have noted Europe's reluctance, according to Ms. Lahbib.
‘They want to get in there. Brazil is a very important market for Belgium, which is very export-oriented. We must n0t forget what we have to gain. We obviously need to protect our farmers and ensure that the social and environmental conditions are met," she stressed.
"We have solutions to offer them. If we close the doors out of extreme caution, the danger is that we'll leave a vacuum and they'll turn to other players with less regard for sustainability and social conditions," Ms. Lahbib added.
'A great challenge'
After some 80 missions abroad in just over two years in office, Hadja Lahbib believes that a ministerial presence helps to open doors for diplomats on the ground, subsequently facilitating the work of the administration.
The doors of the European Commission are, in fact, being opened for her. She goes directly to Strasbourg on Wednesday, where MEPs are due to vote in a plenary session on the composition of the new Commission, still headed by Ursula von der Leyen, which is scheduled to take office on 1 December.
Ms Lahbib is tipped to be the new Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, and will also responsible for Equality.
Preparing for the post has been a "great challenge," she said, adding that she is passionate about the portfolio.
"Ursula von der Leyen told me she was going to find me something that would suit me well, and I'm very happy because it's the portfolio that's closest to the people and the one that concerns all levels, such as climate emergencies, health crises."
