Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy Daniel Poneman will lead an interagency delegation to Brasília, Brazil on August 17, 2011 to launch the U.S.-Brazil Strategic Energy Dialogue, a presidential-level partnership announced by President Obama and Brazilian President Rousseff on March 19, 2011 during the President’s trip to Brazil.  Mr. Poneman will co-chair the launch with his counterpart from the Brazilian Ministry of Mining and Energy, Dr. Márcio Zimmermann.  The U.S. delegation will include officials from the National Security Staff, the Departments of State and Commerce, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.  Prior to stopping in Brasilia and in view of the important role that the private sector will play in this partnership, Mr. Poneman will lead the delegation to São Paulo and to Rio de Janeiro to meet with public and private enterprise.  Based on the Presidents’ joint commitment in March to take concrete steps to enhance cooperation between their two countries’ energy sectors, the Strategic Energy Dialogue will address our mutual interest in the development of safe, secure and affordable energy in an environmentally sound way, including oil, natural gas, biofuels, clean energy, and civilian nuclear energy.