Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola meet in Pretoria on Aug. 26, 2026. Photo: DIRCO

NNA News - Brazil and South Africa will expand their $2 billion trade relationship into energy, critical minerals and vaccine production. Their foreign ministers announced the plan on Wednesday at the 8th Joint Commission in Pretoria. "Brazil and South Africa have been targeted by tariffs that are political in nature and that attack our democratic institutions and our sovereignty," Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stated in his opening remarks.

Vieira co-chaired the talks with South Africa's International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola. It was the commission's first meeting since April 2024 in Brasilia and since President Cyril Ramaphosa's state visit to Brazil. "In response, our countries have decided to move towards greater integration and openness, creating opportunities for our respective regions."

Addressing the commission, Lamola explained that the two-way trade was about $2 billion in 2025, making Brazil South Africa's largest trading partner in Latin America and its second-largest in the Americas. "South Africa offers Brazilian companies a gateway into a rapidly integrating African market of more than 1.4 billion people through the African Continental Free Trade Area."

In response, Vieira explained a multisectoral Brazilian trade mission was in South Africa "to assess mutually beneficial opportunities." Vieira added that "our trade relationship goes beyond the exchange of goods and contributes to greater productive integration." Both sides also stated that they were revisiting the SACU-Mercosur preferential trade agreement.

Brazil was pleased to review the progress made on the bilateral negotiations, Vieira stated. The talks are aimed at expanding the current Preferential Trade Agreement between Mercosur and SACU. He added that Brazil hoped for further progress before year-end. According to Lamola, both countries have been "challenged to stand up to unilateralism, defend our national interests and safeguard our democracies against external dictates".

Brazilian and South African officials meet during the 8th Joint Commission in Pretoria on Aug. 26, 2026. Photo: Supplied

He then also used the opportunity to thank Brazil for what he described as "unwavering moral support during this difficult period when our participation has been unilaterally curtailed", referring to South Africa's G20 presidency. Attention then turned to energy, where Vieira pointed out that Petrobras' return to South Africa would strengthen energy security and deliver broader economic benefits for both countries. He added there were significant opportunities in green energy and sustainable fuels.

Critical minerals were also among topics discussed, with Lamola warning against exporting raw materials while value is added elsewhere. Referring to the IEA, he said it forecasts that demand could quadruple by 2040. He said: "Our countries are well placed to advance a different model, one in which the minerals that power a green future also power industrialisation, skills development, technological exchange, and prosperity in our own societies."

Both countries had experienced first-hand the importance of strengthening national resilience, Vieira explained, along with regional capacities for the production of vaccines, medicines, and other health technologies. Brazil wants to collaborate with South Africa on local vaccine production and genomic surveillance, he added. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation on police, defence and space. Vieira stated that talks on a police memorandum were underway. He said it "should provide a solid basis for cooperation" against drug trafficking.

Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola in Pretoria on Aug. 26, 2026. Photo: Supplied

On the sidelines, the two countries signed a cooperation memorandum between ApexBrasil and South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, as well as a tourism cooperation action plan for 2026-2029. In addition, they are negotiating an investment protection agreement. Tourism and broader people-to-people ties rounded out the discussions. Tourism rebounded to nearly 65,000 Brazilian visitors last year, making Brazil South Africa's ninth-largest source market, helped by a 90-day visa waiver and direct São Paulo flights.

The 9th Joint Commission will be held in Brazil.