By Akani Nkuna
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola on Wednesday said South Africa and Brazil must use their mineral wealth to drive industrialisation and deepen cooperation as the multilateral system faces growing pressure.
“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,” he said.
“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. In recent times, our two nations have also been challenged to stand up to unilateralism, defend our national interests and safeguard our democracies against external dictates.”
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Lamola was speaking during the 8th Session of the South Africa-Brazil Joint Commission in Pretoria.
DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said on Tuesday that the Commission would review the implementation of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding, with expected discussions about aggrotech, aerospace and defence industries, biopharmaceuticals, creative industries, critical minerals beneficiation, energy, science and innovation, youth and women’s empowerment, transport and health.
Lamola said that the SA-Brazil partnership was especially significant at a time when the multilateral system and global peace faced strong headwinds, and owing to the countries’ histories of slavery, colonialism and racial exclusion.
He said their difficult histories had given them experience in nation-building and uniting diverse societies.
Brazil is SA largest trading partner in Latin America and second largest in the Americas, with trade between the two countries amounting to $2 billion in 2025. Lamola said that many SA companies have established a presence in Brazil across various sectors including pharmaceutical, technology, mining and financial services.
He added that SA offered Brazil a gateway to the African market of over 1.4 billion people through the African Continental Free Trade Area. He said the SACU-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement provided an existing platform on which to build further cooperation.
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“This Joint Commission gives us an opportunity to explore ways to expand market access, address trade barriers, and ensure this partnership fulfils its true promise. South Africa is equally committed to achieving more balanced and diversified trade between our countries. We have been encouraged by recent initiatives bringing our business communities closer together,” Lamola said.
Brazil is South Africa’s ninth largest source for tourism, with nearly 65000 Brazilian nationals visiting the country in 2025, bringing arrivals close to pre-Covid 19 tourism levels, according to Lamola.
