"Brazil-Malaysia ties on solid ground" - Ary Quintella, Ambassador of Brazil to Malaysia (The Star, Malaysia, 09/07/2023)

I had the honour of commemorating with Malaysians the chanting of "Merdeka!" on Aug 31. Today, Brazilians will celebrate the date when we affirmed our call for "Independence or Death".

This year, these two celebrations are particularly important as they mark the first cycle of new governments in both countries, with leaders who emphasise robust social policies and empowerment of the rakyat.

Over the past 12 months, there have been great advances in the relationship between Malaysia and Brazil.

On Sept 8, 2022 just after our National Day celebrations, I participated in the first meeting of the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) between Malaysia and Brazil.

The establishment of the committee reflects the significant development of bilateral trade.

Through this recent period, Malaysia has consistently been one of Brazil's most important trade partners.

Bilateral trade has increased 20% from 2020 to 2022 despite the socioeconomic impacts of Covid-19.

Exports of Brazilian beef and poultry, for example, have doubled from 2021 to 2022 after Malaysian approval of dozens of new Brazilian plants.

As the largest worldwide exporter of halal beef and chicken, and sugar, Brazil is honoured to contribute to the food security of Malaysia.

Brazil will be present at the next edition of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas), working hand in hand with the Malaysian government and private companies to enhance the halal ecosystem,

New sectors have opened up for bilateral trade and investment. Embraer, Brazil's aircraft corporation, is leasing in Malaysia 10 of its newest generation aeroplanes, the E-195-E2, through contracts that were signed at this year is Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima). That will improve connectivity in the country and the region.

Malaysian and Brazilian technical teams are also working to start joint projects for technical cooperation to develop corn, soy, coconut and aquaculture in Malaysia.

This has also been an important period for Malaysian investments in Brazil. Petronas is one of the top 10 producers of oil and gas in Brazil, having invested more than U$3bil in bids for oil fields. Other Malaysian companies are operating and manufacturing offshore platforms to supply Brazil's national oil and gas company, Petrobras.

In turn, Malaysia is attracting more Brazilian investors each day, such as Vale, Natura and WEG.

Innovative avenues of cooperation are also being developed. Come November, representatives from Malaysia and other Asean countries will visit Brazilian institutions interested in technical cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, food security, nutrition, health, and science and technology.

The Malaysian semiconductor industry is drawing considerable attention in Brazil, and its association is already engaging with Brazilian stakeholders.

Fiocruz, the Brazilian state pharma company, has signed an agreement to register ravidasvir, an affordable treatment for hepatitis C first launched in Malaysia.

Most importantly, we have seen this past year an even deeper engagement between Malaysian and Brazilian societies. Kuala Lumpur will host the first edition of the Brazilian Film Festival from Sept 21 to 24.

Later in the year, the embassy will launch a landmark book on Brazilian landscaper Roberto Burle Marxs work in designing the KLCC Park, with never before published photos and drawings.

A growing and thriving Brazilian community in Malaysia also strengthens our ties.

Close to 500 Brazilians live here and play an active role in sports, culture, arts, education and business, contributing to Malaysian society and economy.

All of this has required an enlargement of the Brazilian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, with an expansion this year of 50% in our staff.

New sectors have been created, focusing on defence, energy, the environment, health, and science and technology.

The bilateral relationship has vast potential to continue growing. In 2022, Brazil became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of Asean, thus solidifying our relations with the region and its countries.

Malaysia supported our partnership request from day one, and I am confident that we will have even greater opportunities to work together in the future.

In the multilateral sphere, under the leadership of President Lula, Brazil is back at the negotiating table.

The Brazilian government will chair the G20 in 2024 and BRICS in 2025. Brazil is also set to host the 30th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP 30) in 2025 at the heart of the Amazon in the city of Belém.

That same year, Malaysia will chair Asean.

At our National Day reception tonight, the embassy will present two photographic exhibitions by Brazilian photographer Ricardo Teles focused on indigenous populations: one about the Kuarup, a ritual of the Xingu Indigenous Brazilians, and the other on indigenous populations living in São Paulo.

Being megadiverse tropical developing countries, Malaysia and Brazil should join efforts to promote balanced sustainable development and foster bioeconomy value chains while tackling climate change.

As large energy producers, our countries are also in a position to help shape a fair and just process of global energy transition.

Finally, Malaysia and Brazil, two important voices from the Global South, also have an opportunity to collectively promote global stability through an open, inclusive and multilateral dialogue with a view to fostering peace and international cooperation in the midst of rising geopolitical tensions.