Participants attend the Brazil-South Africa Business Forum in Johannesburg on Aug. 26, 2026. Photo: Brasil247

NNA News - Brazil is seeking to deepen its economic engagement with Africa, with agriculture, critical minerals, industry and energy emerging as key areas of cooperation with South Africa. Report compiled by Brasil 247. 

Speaking at the Brazil South Africa Business Forum in Johannesburg on Wednesday, ApexBrasil President Laudemir Müller said Brazil was positioning itself as a reliable partner for African countries at a time of growing global uncertainty. “It is in this scenario of uncertainty and fragmentation that Brazil positions itself in a united, not fragmented, manner as a stable partner. This is what we are building with Africa, and this is what we want and are building with South Africa,” Müller said.

The forum formed part of a Brazilian trade mission to South Africa involving government officials and businesses seeking to expand commercial ties between the two countries. Müller pointed to Africa's growing population and consumer market as important opportunities for Brazilian businesses. “Africa is the region that will grow the most in population, with a young population, a high work capacity, and a high capacity for consumption,” he said.

He also identified agriculture and critical minerals as areas where Brazil and African countries could work more closely, particularly around adding value to natural resources rather than exporting them in raw form. “We have very similar objectives and challenges: mining, but also adding value and building the chain for critical and rare minerals,” Müller said.

For South Africa, the focus on value addition comes as the country seeks to expand local industrial capacity around its mineral resources while securing a greater role in emerging supply chains linked to the energy transition and technology. Müller said ApexBrasil had increased its activities across Africa over the past four years, including trade missions and participation in international trade fairs. “In just these last four years, we have carried out eight missions to Africa, this being the eighth mission, to 20 countries,” he said.

He also announced that ApexBrasil will open an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on September 2, strengthening the agency's presence on the continent. “Starting on September 2, we will have an ApexBrasil office in Addis Ababa with ApexBrasil staff,” Müller said. South Africa was singled out as a strategic market. Müller said Brazilian and South African businesses could complement each other in agriculture, food security, industry, critical minerals and energy. “South Africa is a strategic partner for Brazil,” he said.

The two countries are also looking to increase the value of their trade. Müller said Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had set an ambition of reaching $10 billion in trade between Brazil and South Africa. “I believe that, little by little, we can get there if we continue doing what we are doing here, which is having a good business environment, being all together and having this connection between Brazilian companies and South African companies,” he said.

The push comes as Brazil seeks to diversify its export markets while African countries increasingly pursue partnerships aimed at industrialisation, technology transfer and value addition. Müller said the relationship should ultimately be built around longer-term cooperation between businesses and governments. “I believe that all businesspeople are joining this effort so that we can work increasingly, have the best possible partners, and have the most stable and lasting relations in the medium and long term,” he said.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Brazil's ambassador to South Africa, Benedicto Fonseca Filho, also addressed the forum.