Bilateral trade in focus as Brazil FM visits Malaysia

Brasilia, Aug 24 (IANS) Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, will make an official visit to Malaysia on Sunday, his first to the country since assuming the role, earlier this year.

Vieira will hold bilateral discussions with Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan in Putrajaya, the country’s administrative capital.”The two Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries, covering areas such as trade and investment, the Halal industry, as well as people-to-people ties. They will also exchange views on the regional and international issues of common concern,” stated the Malaysian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.Vieira is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.Brazil is Malaysia’s second largest trading partner in the Latin American region.In 2023, the total trade between Malaysia and Brazil was US$5.53 billion, with a positive Brazilian balance of US$2.59 billion. The balance with Malaysia was Brazil’s 8th largest in the world. Malaysia maintains significant investments in Brazil, especially in the energy sector.”On the occasion, the foreign ministers will discuss issues of bilateral relations and common interest, such as trade and investment, cooperation in forums such as ASEAN and G20, cooperation on climate change and the holding of COP-30 in Brazil in 2025, as well as the reform of global governance,” said the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.Brazil and Malaysia are celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations this year.The first Political Consultation Meeting between the two countries is scheduled to take place in September.Next year, Malaysia will chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a bloc comprising 10 countries in the region with which Brazil has a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership.Vieira was Ambassador of Brazil to Argentina (2004-2010); Ambassador of Brazil to the United States of America (2010-2015); Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations in New York (2016-2020) and Ambassador of Brazil to Croatia (2020-2022). He was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil between 2015 and 2016.Starting January 2023, he was appointed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, once again.–IANSas/