Sir David King, the chief scientific adviser to the British government, is in Brazil on an official visit that takes place in the context of the building of closer bilateral relations in the field of science and technology, a process initiated during the state visit to the UK by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in March 2006.

The main objective of Sir David’s visit is to formally launch the 'Year of UK-Brazil Partnership in Science and Technology' during a ceremony at the Ministry of Science and Technology today.

Sir David will also have meetings with the Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Reinhold Stephanes; the executive secretaries for the environment and for science and technology; and the special adviser to the Office of the President, Marco Aurélio Garcia. The issues to be discussed include biofuels, climate change and biodiversity.

Sir David arrived in Brasília from Manaus, where he had meetings with the governor of Amazonas state and representatives of the Superintendency of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (SUFRAMA); the Brazilian Agricultural and Livestock Research Corporation (EMBRAPA); the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA); and the Amazônia Biotechnology Centre (CBA).

Sir David, accompanied by other British scientists, will be in São Paulo tomorrow for meetings with members of the Brazilian scientific community and representatives of Brazilian and British companies involved in scientific research and development.

Source: Ministry of External Relations