O Brasil e os países da Costa Oeste Africana e a segurança marítima no Atlântico Sul: A cooperação Brasil-Cabo Verde no campo da defesa e sua importância para a Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

The strategic - political sense of military - naval cooperation in Brazil, with the other countries that make up the Atlantic strategic neighborhoo d , gains its reason to be if, in this space, it is possible to increase maritime s ecurity and safeguard Brazilian interests. Thus, the objective of this thesis is to analyze whether the activity of the Brazilian Navy in Cape Verde is a priority and is converging with the interests of Brazilian foreign policy in this strategic space, as well as to substantiate how this presence can, in the future, in crease maritime control, by Brazil, in the South Atlantic. For this, it is verified as the strategic position of Cape Verde, allied with the existing historical and cultural links in relation to Brazil, were fundamental for security in the South Atlantic, in the unfolding of the major world conflicts, f acilitating the p rojection of the Brazilian sea power at that time. Additionally, the work analyses the Brazil - Cape Verde relationship from the independence of the archipelago and how this interaction culminated with the opening of a N aval M ission and a Br azilian A ttaché of D efense, Naval, Army and Air Force . In possession of these elements, a survey is made on the exogenous presence of N ort h Atl antic N ations and the growing Chinese performance in Cape Verde and the West African coast. It also contemplates the illicit ones occurring in the region, such as those in the Gulf of Guinea, and how these interactions in the future can affect Brazilian interests in blue Amazon and the South Atlantic, of fundamental strategic importance for Brazil. Finally, the light of current strategists’ thinkers, seeks to present proposals to strengthen military - naval cooperation between the two countries of maritime vocation, based on the role of sea power in support of foreign policy, aiming for greater projection i n the African continent, strengthening the soft power and thus increasing maritime s ecurity in the South Atlantic. This work is expected to contribute to the interest of researchers on the topics of G eopolitic s of Brazil, I nternational R elations, South Atlantic, Africa and Naval D iplomacy .