Harare — Brazil is ready to strengthen ties with Zimbabwe and help the country develop its vast mineral resources, the head of a visiting delegation from Brasilia has said.

Speaking after paying a courtesy call on Acting President Mujuru yesterday, Ambassador Piragibe dos Santos Tarrago said Brazil wanted to partner Zimbabwe in development projects.

Ambassador Tarrago is Brazil's Under Secretary for Africa and Asia in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The delegation is in the country for the convening of the inaugural Zimbabwe-Brazil Joint Commission.

"The visit of the team is a clear indication of Brazil's commitment to co-operating with Zimbabwe in the fields of mining, agriculture finance, bio-fuels and ethanol.

"Brazil and Zimbabwe have had cordial relations that date back to 1980. Brazil is on the front calling for the removal of the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe," he said.

Ambassador Tarrago said the first Joint Commission meeting in Harare represented a new era in relations between the two countries.

He said a Brazilian trade mission would visit Zimbabwe next year to evaluate possible partnerships.

Earlier, Ambassador Tarrago met Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who expressed confidence that the Joint Commission would help Zimbabwe learn from Brazil's own experiences.

"We discussed a number of bilateral issues between Zimbabwe and Brazil. The co-operation that we are seeking with Brazil is that of a win-win situation.

"Zimbabwe is not a charity case and we are inviting the South Americans to make profits.

"Areas where there are opportunities for co-operation are agriculture, mining, manufacturing, capacity building as well as institutional and human capacity building," DPM Mutambara said.

He said the Joint Commission provided Zimbabwe with an opportunity to compare notes with Brazil, one of the fastest developing nations on the globe.

"The Brazilians will help Zimbabwe to modernise and refurbish its power generation and production of bio-fuels, an area they have made tremendous strides.

"To the Brazilians we are presenting Zimbabwe as national market, Sadc and Comesa, that Brazil can use to connect with the region and Africa," he said.

DPM Mutambara invited the Brazilian national team to camp in Zimbabwe for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

The Joint Commission was established in September 2006.

On Monday, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha said Government was concerned by the decline in trade volumes between the two countries.

"Zimbabwe seeks to benefit from Brazil's expertise in agricultural research and development of agricultural equipment and development, especially in coffee production, procurement of machinery and implements for mechanisation programme and technology transfer as well as joint venture partnerships in the production of farming equipment.

"We are, therefore, encouraged to note that there is a scope to reverse the downward trend by identifying new opportunities through this joint commission," he said.

In 1988, Zimbabwe and Brazil signed a trade agreement that has seen the country importing tractors, machinery and implements, inorganic chemical oxides and insecticides as well as drugs and pharmaceutical from Brazil.

Ambassador Bimha said the two governments should remove barriers to trade and investment.

He commended Brazil for assisting Zimbabwe with medicines worth US$10 000 to the health sector and that country's intention to extend another humanitarian package to Zimbabwe worth US$50 000.