Brasilia, Brazil – This week, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency hosted a workshop supporting Phase III of the U.S.-Brazil Aviation Partnership (AP), a public-private cooperation program supporting Brazil’s aviation infrastructure development goals, while connecting U.S. companies to business opportunities in the growing sector. The workshop addressed issues, practices and technologies related to airport safety and efficiency in the United States and Brazil. It provided attendees with the opportunity to hear from both U.S. and Brazilian experts on best practices and technologies that can make air transportation safer, and more efficient.

“We are pleased to continue our cooperation with Brazil under the AP,” said Thomas R. Hardy, Director, Congressional and Public Affairs. “Through this workshop, we can improve aviation safety in Brazil, while creating market access for U.S. companies.”

Deputy Chief of Mission William Popp also commented: “As two of the five largest global aviation markets, cooperation between the United States and Brazil in aviation is essential.  Since 2012, regular workshops under the Aviation Partnership have highlighted the deep cooperation between our countries in this area.”

National Agency of Civil Aviation (ANAC) Secretary Dário Lopes added: “Our cooperation with USTDA started in 2012 and has produced valuable results, bringing technical knowledge at the same time that our civil aviation sector has been growing very fast. This seminar is a good opportunity to update our contacts.”

While in Brazil, Mr. Hardy also launched a new partnership with the Government of Brazil under USTDA’s Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value (GPI) to promote international best practices in public procurement and the long-term professionalization of Brazil’s procurement workforce. USTDA kicked off the partnership by hosting a workshop in partnership with Brazil’s Ministry of Planning, Development and Management, which was attended by participants from ministries and organizations across the Brazilian national government. Following the workshop, USTDA will host a group of senior Brazilian officials to the United States in early 2018 to share best practices and lessons learned from U.S. federal, state and municipal procurement systems. This visit will be followed by a second workshop in Brazil, for Brazilian state and municipal-level procurement officials.