The future of Asean-Brazil partnership

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil

Returning to Manila after two years, I find both a country and a region pulsating with dynamism. Few developments have reshaped the international order as profoundly as the rise of Asia. Over the past few decades, the Asian continent has cemented its position as a center of economic growth, technological innovation and strategic presence. Within this landscape, Southeast Asia stands out, propelled by ASEAN’s centrality, in an upward movement that turns diversity into dialogue, and dialogue into integration.

The choice for integration over rivalry has paid off handsomely. Over the last decade, ASEAN economies have sustained an average annual GDP growth rate of roughly seven percent, nearly doubling their economies in purchasing power parity terms; the G7, by contrast, posted average growth of just 4.8 percent over the same period. While many advanced economies grapple with the challenges of rapidly ageing populations and shrinking workforces, much of Southeast Asia continues to enjoy a favorable demographic dividend, its expanding, working-age population actively driving innovation, productivity and long-term growth. These are the strengths that make ASEAN a core engine of the global economy, and Brazil has followed this trajectory with genuine admiration and interest.

Our connection, however, runs deeper than economic expectations. It dates back to 1946, when we established diplomatic relations with the Philippines, our very first bilateral tie in the region. Decades later, in 2012, Brazil became the first Latin American country to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). These two landmarks lend particular significance to my visit today, as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Philippines and honor the 50th anniversary of the TAC.

Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, engagement with ASEAN has become a clear priority of the Brazilian foreign policy. We now maintain embassies in nine of the 11 ASEAN member-states, and our partnership follows a concrete roadmap: in 2023, Brazil and ASEAN agreed on Practical Cooperation Areas for 2024-2028, the reference document guiding our joint initiatives. In 2024, Brazil became the first Sectoral Dialogue Partner to accredit a designated ambassador to ASEAN, consolidating our institutional presence in Jakarta.

The ASEAN-Brazil Sectoral Dialogue Partnership is delivering tangible results, both with ASEAN as a whole and with its member-states. Since the Practical Cooperation Areas were adopted in December 2023, our collaboration has expanded rapidly across 11 priority sectors, from science and technology to renewable energy, education and women’s empowerment. This dynamic agenda has been matched by an unprecedented rise in high-level exchanges, missions and technical dialogues, culminating in President Lula’s historic participation in last year’s ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

Sustainable development and social inclusion sit at the very core of the ASEAN-Brazil relationship. This September, Brazil will welcome a delegation of women agricultural leaders, selected by the ASEAN Secretariat, for a capacity-building program on women’s leadership within agricultural cooperatives, an opportunity to share our experience in empowering women and strengthening rural communities through cooperative production arrangements. In parallel, our joint bioenergy project is advancing into its next phase, focusing on sustainability criteria and certification schemes.

Environmental cooperation is another area that holds great potential. We are working to connect the ASEAN One Billion Trees Growing Program with Brazil’s Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), officially launched last year at COP30 in Belém, at the heart of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. This alignment of existing initiatives opens new avenues for collaboration on forest conservation and climate finance. We deeply value the early engagement already shown by ASEAN member-states and look forward to ASEAN’s continued support in broadening regional participation, helping the mobilization of eligible tropical forest countries and potential sponsoring partners across the Asia-Pacific.

Much has been achieved, yet more lies ahead. During his visits to Malaysia and Indonesia last year, President Lula formally expressed Brazil’s commitment to deepening ASEAN-Brazil relations and elevating it to the level of a Dialogue Partnership, a step that would be consistent with the strategic importance Brazil attaches to ASEAN and Southeast Asia as a foreign policy priority. As we pursue this higher level of ambition, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to a dynamic, resilient and forward-looking relationship.

On this milestone 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, Brazil reaffirms its dedication to the Treaty’s founding principles: mutual respect for sovereignty and equality, non-interference, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the renunciation of the threat or use of force and effective cooperation among the High Contracting Parties.

At a time of rising geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation, Brazil and ASEAN share a firm conviction in the vital role of multilateralism in addressing global challenges. We stand united in advancing sustainable development, promoting a fair energy transition, eradicating poverty, mobilizing climate finance and pursuing the reform of international governance. We look forward to the next chapter of our partnership.