The Brazilian Navy (MB) recognizes the strategic value of the South Atlantic as a central component of Brazil's strategic surroundings. This maritime region, in addition to being a priority area of interest for the Country, has acquired increasing relevance in the international context, notably as a safer alternative for connection routes with the Pacific and the Indo-Pacific, as a result of the increase in strategic competition in the North Atlantic.
The South Atlantic, however, should not be understood only from a geographical perspective. In light of the scope of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZOPACAS), its understanding assumes an expanded character, incorporating political-strategic, security, and development dimensions, which reinforce its importance as a space for articulation between countries in South America and Africa.
In this context, the MB has intensified its studies on the challenges and opportunities related to integration and cooperation within the scope of ZOPACAS. The Navy General Staff thus seeks to provide the Forum's component States with a qualified space for the exchange of ideas and the discussion of maritime themes of common interest, with a view to strengthening cooperation, maintaining peace, and promoting regional development.
With this purpose, the Brazilian Navy promoted, on October 27, 2021, the 1st ZOPACAS Maritime Symposium, under the theme "The Importance of ZOPACAS in Increasing Regional Cooperation and Socioeconomic Development in the South Atlantic". Held in an entirely virtual format, due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the event brought together representatives of the component States and extra-regional guests, contributing to fostering maritime cooperation and the exchange of perspectives on common challenges to the region.
The second edition of the ZOPACAS Maritime Symposium, held on October 25, 2023, under the theme "ZOPACAS - Strengthening Maritime Cooperation and Security in the South Atlantic", took place in a hybrid format, representing a significant advance in the consolidation of the event as a regional maritime forum. At the time, ten years had passed since the last ministerial meeting between the States-parties, held in Montevideo in 2013, until the resumption of this forum with the Eighth Ministerial Meeting in Mindelo, Cape Verde, in April 2023. In this context, the symposium contributed to strengthening dialogue channels, expanding interaction between participating countries, and deepening strategic reflection on security and development in the South Atlantic.
In this sense, the 3rd ZOPACAS Maritime Symposium was scheduled to take place in a symbolic year, marked by the forty years of Resolution No. 41/11 of the United Nations General Assembly, which established the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic on October 27, 1986. Furthermore, the choice of the date of April 10 sought to align the symposium with the ZOPACAS ministerial meeting, scheduled for April 8 and 9, enhancing the convergence between technical debates and political deliberations.
It is emphasized that a shared understanding of common challenges constitutes a fundamental starting point for strengthening cooperation. Knowledge of the different perceptions, priorities, and approaches of the countries in the region allows for the construction of cooperative and sustainable solutions, whose benefits must be widely shared, so as to boost regional socioeconomic development.
Thus, the 3rd ZOPACAS Maritime Symposium seeks to contribute to the consolidation of a maritime forum in the South Atlantic, promoting the opening and maintenance of communication channels that favor the exchange of experiences, stimulate strategic reflection, and enable the identification of joint solutions. To this end, a program was structured focused on current themes of common interest to the coastal countries of the South Atlantic.
