Brazil and Germany have been engaged on a strong partnership for many decades. Indeed, Brazil is not only Germany's most important trading partner in Latin America, but also the only country in the Latin American region with which Germany has been linked by a strategic partnership – which is ongoing since 2008.
Brazil is one of the German Government's six global development partners, and this partnership mainly promotes economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development.
One of the core concerns of the German-Brazilian strategic partnership is the further expansion of cooperation on bilateral and multilateral issues. The cooperation is multifaceted. It covers topics such as energy, environment, climate, science, economy and trade, defence, labour and social affairs as well as cooperation in the framework of the United Nations, and in the field of human rights. One special area is on science and technology, where the potential for synergies is especially strong.
It is against this background, and the perceived need to foster closer links in the field of science and technology between Brazil and Germany, that the German-Brazilian Science and Technology Network (GERBRAS-SCIENCENET) has been created.
