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2/27/2024

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at an American Chamber of Commerce Event in São Paulo, Brazi…

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at an
American Chamber of Commerce Event in São Paulo, Brazil
February 27, 2024

As Prepared for Delivery
Good morning. Thank you to the American Chamber of Commerce and to President Neto for
hosting this event. Minister Silva – Thank you for joining me. Youʼve spent your career leading
on climate, and Iʼm glad to we have the chance to discuss with those here the strength of the
economic relationship between our two countries and specifically opportunities for
collaboration on climate.
This year, the United States and Brazil celebrate 200 years of formal diplomatic relations. Our
strong economic relationship is founded on a deep and long history of engagement and
shared values and bolstered by the current strength of each of our economies.
Over the past three years, the Biden Administrationʼs economic policies have helped drive a
historic recovery. U.S. GDP growth is strong and inflation has come down significantly. We
also have a strong labor market. Our unemployment rate is near historic lows, more Americans
are working than before the pandemic, and real wages are up. We are now focusing on
growing our economy for the long term. A trifecta of legislation—the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act—is fueling
investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy. Since the start of the
Administration, private sector companies have announced over $600 billion in clean energy
and manufacturing investments.
I believe that Brazilʼs private sector, represented by those of you in this room, can drive
similarly strong growth and employment outcomes here.
As we are working to do in the United States, it is vital that Brazil create the conditions for
the private sector to invest and grow. I congratulate Minister Haddad and Brazil on
accomplishing a truly historic tax reform. This will improve the ease of doing business here,
including for American companies looking to invest.

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2/27/2024

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at an American Chamber of Commerce Event in São Paulo, Brazi…

There is also a huge opportunity for Brazil to become more integrated in global value chains,
and the United States will be a strong partner to Brazil in this e ort. Steps such as addressing
high external tari s and progressing on the adoption of OECD codes and standards could
make Brazil even more attractive to foreign investors, creating additional opportunities for
both our economies.
Brazil is also particularly well positioned to benefit from the global transition to carbon
neutrality. You have the advantage of an energy grid that is already largely based on
renewables, which will be a major asset as economies around the world increasingly
internalize the cost of carbon in production. You also have the vitally important carbon sink of
the Amazon basin. There are in fact significant opportunities for the private sector, including
American companies, across Brazilʼs green economy, from further fueling its clean energy
transition, to investing in its plant-based foods and cosmetics industries.
I am very glad that the Treasury Department and Fazenda are actively exploring how we can
partner on much of this.
The United States is also deeply engaged in multilateral initiatives in the region, alongside
regional partners. Brazilian President Ilan Goldfajn has been leading important and
comprehensive reform across the Inter-American Development Bank Group, including to
position the institution to better support the growth of the regionʼs private sector to fuel the
green transition. The United States, alongside other shareholders, looks forward to
completing a capital increase for the IDBʼs private sector arm next month.
With that, thank you again to all of you for being here, and I look forward to hearing from
Minister Silva.
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