Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva began a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, after a trip to China aimed at strengthening economic relations with the main trading partner.

The Emirates News Agency said that he was received upon his arrival at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al Mazrouei , and that he will meet later with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan .

Lule, who returned to power in January after two terms as president from 2003 to 2010, made a two-day visit to China to boost economic ties.

He used the opportunity of the visit to stress that Brazil had "returned" to the international arena and hoped to play a mediating role in the conflict in Ukraine.

Unlike many Western powers, neither China nor Brazil nor the UAE imposed financial sanctions on Russia and is trying to play the role of mediator, while Beijing is under increasing international pressure to influence Moscow and push it to the negotiating table.

According to the Emirates News Agency, Brazil has "great importance (...) based on Brazil's presence and political and economic importance, whether in its regional environment or at the global level."

The UAE is Brazil's second largest trading partner in the Middle East, and the total value of non-oil intra-trade reached more than $4 billion in 2022, with a growth rate of 32 percent compared to 2021.

The UAE represents "a basic trade gateway and a starting point for Brazil to the promising markets in the region, due to its advanced infrastructure in the transport and logistics sector," according to the agency.

The UAE is also looking forward to "taking advantage of the promising investment and commercial opportunities in the Brazilian market - the largest market in Latin America."