By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Caption: Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola co-chaired the 8th South Africa-Brazil Joint Commission with Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, in Pretoria. Image: DIRCO.
South Africa and Brazil have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation during the eighth session of the South Africa-Brazil Joint Commission in Tshwane.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira co-chaired the talks, which focused on trade, agriculture, energy, defence, health, mining, technology and cooperation through BRICS, the G20 and the Global South.
The two countries said they had responded to the US Tariff measures and were working to reduce the potential impact on their economies.
Lamola said both countries must continue identifying new areas of collaboration while protecting their shared democratic values.
“Our two nations have also been challenged to stand up, defend our national interests and safeguard our democracies against external dictates,” Lamola said.
He said South Africa and Brazil, as two leading economies on their respective continents, were well positioned to act as bridge builders between the Global North and Global South.
“As two leading economies on our continents, Brazil and South Africa are bridge builders between the countries of the global North and the global South,” he said.
Lamola said the two countries had consistently pursued common positions in multilateral forums, particularly on reforming global governance to better reflect the aspirations of the majority of the international community.
He highlighted the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture, pointing to the burden of debt servicing across Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Minister also identified critical minerals as an area where South Africa and Brazil could deepen cooperation and pursue a different development model for the Global South.
Both countries are rich in minerals needed for the transition to a green economy, with Lamola warning that growing global demand should not simply reproduce historical patterns in which developing countries export raw materials while value and wealth are created elsewhere.
“Our countries have not hesitated to use their voice and soft power to call attention to the challenges and crises bedevilling countries of the global South,” he said.
He added that South Africa and Brazil could work together to ensure that critical minerals contribute to industrialisation, skills development and technological advancement.
Brazil is South Africa’s largest trading partner in Latin America, with bilateral trade amounting to approximately US$2 billion in 2025.
Vieira announced that a multisectoral Brazilian trade mission is currently in South Africa to explore mutually beneficial investment and trade opportunities. He highlighted growing cooperation in science and technology, including space science, ocean research and healthcare.
“Our countries can contribute to greater health security in the Global South,” Vieira said.
He also identified food and nutrition security as a shared priority, praising South Africa’s efforts to expand agricultural production while calling for stronger collaboration in vaccine manufacturing and broader international partnerships.