UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR DEEPER MALAYSIA-BRAZIL COOPERATION - ENVOY 

By Christine Lim

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- There is untapped potential for deeper cooperation between Malaysia and Brazil in the agriculture, agro-food, food security, and technology sectors.

Ambassador of Brazil to Malaysia, Daniella Ortega Menezes said beginning 2026, Brazil will be looking for new areas to explore and new agreements following high-level engagements by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia last year.

“It was the very first time a Brazilian president took part in the ASEAN summit. So this was very important for us, not only for the bilateral relationship, but also for relations with ASEAN,” she said during an interview with Bernama TV today on the programme On the Nation: Malaysia-Brazil Ties - What Lies Ahead.

She emphasised that there is a need for balanced relations for a win-win situation so that both nations can grow together. 

“Brazil and Malaysia started negotiating two agreements. One is the anti-double taxation agreement and another agreement to facilitate investments. So this is a way to create a better regulatory environment so that companies can strengthen their partnerships,” she said.

Brazil is Malaysia's second largest trading partner in Latin America. Total bilateral trade in 2025 stood at over US$5 billion.

Menezes said Brazil negotiates trade agreements through Mercosur, a South American regional integration organisation and customs union of which Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia are members.

The European Union (EU) and Mercosur signed a free trade agreement (FTA) this year.

“We (Mercosur) have an agreement with Singapore. We are currently exploring with Indonesia and Vietnam. And we are hoping maybe in the future we can also negotiate with Malaysia,” she said.

In agriculture, Menezes said Brazil has been working with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) on expanding Brazil's exports of animal protein into Malaysia and on halal products.

As for Malaysia-Brazil relations, she said, it is crucial that both countries support each other as countries from the Global South. 

“Malaysia has stated also during President Lula's visit in 2025, as this has been indicated in the joint statement by both leaders that Malaysia supports Brazil's candidacy to be a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. 

“This is a long-standing aspiration of Brazil to take a larger role at the United Nations.

“Brazil, likewise, has supported Malaysia, in taking part in BRICS,” she added.

Menezes emphasised that Malaysia and Brazil share similar views on the world stage of non-alignment and independence, and in favour of multilateralism.

“And this is something that today we see as very much valuable and we should support each other in defending the same values,” she noted.

-- BERNAMA