Brazil aims to further strengthen ties with Kazakhstan, Central Asia

Brazil wants to further strengthen ties with Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said Sunday.

According to Kazakhstan's state news agency Kazinform, Vieira arrived in Astana for talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev.

Kosherbayev said Kazakhstan views Brazil as one of its key partners as the two countries mark 33 years of diplomatic relations, highlighting efforts to strengthen political dialogue, trade, and cooperation in international organizations.

"We must continue to deepen our bilateral and institutional partnership," Kosherbayev said, adding that Kazakhstan looks forward to hosting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Vieira said that Brazil is interested in increasing fertilizer imports from Kazakhstan and expanding cooperation in agriculture, including animal protein trade.

"Although we are geographically separated, we want to be closer in trade, political, and cultural terms with Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a whole," he said. "We have excellent prospects for developing bilateral relations in the area of trade."

A delegation of private-sector representatives, including major Brazilian oil companies, accompanied Viera to Kazakhstan.

Brazil is Kazakhstan's largest trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, with bilateral trade totaling $296 million.