The Taoiseach today begins a five-day visit to Brazil designed to exploit the huge potential for Irish export growth to the country and the region.
Mr Ahern, who will hold talks with the Brazilian President, Mr Fernando Henrique Cardoso, this morning, said yesterday that Brazil offered huge potential for manufacturers of computer software and telecommunications equipment, as well as suppliers of banking and educational services.
In recognition of the potential for trade, Mr Ahern is expected to tell President Cardoso of Irish plans to open a residential embassy in Brazil. As well as trade, the two will discuss recent economic difficulties in Brazil and Latin America.
They are also to discuss Brazil's attempts to improve its trading status with the EU. The Taoiseach may also give the Brazilian President a briefing on the situation in Northern Ireland.
Mr Ahern said yesterday Ireland wanted to be seen to be helpful to Brazil in its negotiations with the EU.
He said his visit was part of a strategy of boosting Irish exports through political visits. The Chinese market had opened up considerably since his 1997 visit and subsequent political contacts, and he hoped this would also happen in relation to South America.
He said South America had a market of 360 million people. Boosting the sale of Irish goods there would boost jobs at home.
Mr Ahern said the importance of the region was now recognised in the EU, noting that the French Prime Minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, had just visited Brazil. The British Prime Minister and the German Chancellor were to visit shortly.
He said the full deregulation of the telecommunications sector in Brazil made it "opportune for companies with software products at home".
The Kerry Group, he said, did £8 million worth of business in Brazil in 1999, its first year operating there. "Last year it was £40 million and this year it's going to be £100 million," he added.
Tonight Mr Ahern will travel to Brazil's business capital and largest city, Sao Paolo, where he will meet political leaders, make a keynote economic speech and visit the Irish studies unit of the University of Sao Paolo.
He will spend Friday and Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, visiting Irish-funded community projects, meeting the small Irish community and making both a foreign policy and an economic speech. He will then spend two days in Argentina before returning home.