Global Business Briefing with Her Excellency Maria Luiza Viotti, Ambassador of Brazil to the U.S.

On January 31, 2024, the Meridian Corporate Council partnered with the National Football League (NFL) an the Walt Disney Company to host a Global Business Briefing with Her Excellency Maria Luiza Viotti, Ambassador of Brazil to the United States. The discussion, moderated by The Honorable Stuart Holliday, Chief Executive Officer, Meridian International Center, covered U.S.-Brazil trade and economic relations as well as Brazil’s G20 presidency and its agenda approaching COP30 in 2025. 

About Her Excellency Maria Luiza Viotti

Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti presented her credentials to President Joe Biden on June 30, 2023.  Before assuming her duties in Washington, Ambassador Viotti served as Chef de Cabinet to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (2017-2021), Under Secretary General for Asia and the Pacific at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2016), and Ambassador of Brazil to Germany (2013-2016).  Ambassador Viotti served on multiple occasions at the Mission of Brazil to the United Nations in New York and as Permanent Representative to the UN from 2007 to 2013. During her tenure, she led the Brazilian Delegation to the UN Security Council (2010-2011) and presided over the Council in February 2011.  In addition to multilateral affairs, Ambassador Viotti worked in Brasilia and abroad in areas such as political affairs, trade and investment promotion, public diplomacy and regional cooperation. She served as counselor at the Embassy of Brazil in La Paz (1993-1996).  Ambassador Viotti holds a degree in Economics and joined the Brazilian foreign service in 1976, after graduating from the Rio Banco Institute (Brazil’s diplomatic academy).  Ambassador Viotti is married to Dr. Eduardo Baumgratz Viotti. The couple has a son. 

Here are some takeaways from the program:

Across the globe, there is renewed and expanding interest in cooperation with Brazil. Bilateral relations between Brazil and the United States look promising for the future. The U.S. shares many goals and challenges with Brazil, such as importing and exporting critical minerals and the transition to green energy solutions, as well as promoting human rights and preserving democracy. In 2023, the U.S. Brazil CEO Forum convened, bringing together U.S. private sector leaders with Brazilian industry leaders in conversation with U.S. and Brazilian Presidential offices and Commerce Secretaries. Brazil’s three main agenda priorities for the G20 dialogue in 2024 include 1) social inclusion and the fight against hunger, 2) energy transition and sustainable development in its social, economic, and environmental aspects, and 3) reform of the global governance institutions.

This program was made possible through the support of: