Republic of Malta

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Brazil and Malta established diplomatic relations in 1975. The Brazilian Embassy in Rome (Italy) is concurrently responsible for representing the Brazilian government to the Maltese authorities. Malta established a resident diplomatic mission in Brasília — its only one in Latin America — in June 2022, with the aim of seeking new political and economic opportunities in Brazil. Minister Ian Borg traveled to Brasília for the inauguration of the Embassy.

There is mutual interest in improving the flow of political dialogue between the two countries. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Conduct of Bilateral Relations was signed in 2016.

In 2009, the Foreign Ministers of Brazil and Malta held a meeting in Istanbul on the occasion of the 2nd Alliance of Civilizations Forum. In 2012, the then Minister of Defense, Celso Amorim, held a meeting in Malta with the then Foreign Minister Tonio Borg. In 2017, Malta’s Minister of Health, Christopher Fearne, participated in the “World Hepatitis Summit” (November 1–3, 2017) in São Paulo.

In March 2018, Malta’s Minister for Energy and Water Management, Joe Mizzi, was in Brasília to take part in the 8th World Water Forum (March 18–23, 2018). On June 12, 2018, a meeting of Political Consultations between Brazil and Malta was held in Valletta.

During his visit to Brazil in June 2022 for the opening of the resident embassy in Brasília, Foreign Minister Ian Borg was received by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and by the President of the Republic, in a courtesy visit.

From January to September 2024, Brazilian exports to the island nation totaled $113.8 million (a 42.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023), while imports reached $142.7 million (a 764.8% increase compared to the previous year). Brazil, which had maintained a large trade surplus since 2018, now sees a reversal of this trend. In 2024, Brazil mainly exported to Malta petroleum fuel oils (81%), paper and cardboard (6.1%), and sugars and molasses (5.2%). Malta exported to Brazil petroleum fuel oils (76%) and crude petroleum oils (18%).

Chronology of bilateral relations

2022 – Visit of Foreign Minister Ian Borg to Brazil and inauguration of the Embassy of Malta in Brasília (June 3)

2018 – First meeting of Political Consultations (Valletta, June 12)

2016 – Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conduct of Bilateral Relations

2012 – Foreign Ministers of Brazil and Malta meet in September in New York, on the sidelines of the opening of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

2011 – Malta assists in the evacuation of 3,200 employees of a Brazilian company in Libya

2009 – Foreign Ministers of Brazil and Malta meet in April during the 2nd Alliance of Civilizations Forum (Istanbul, Turkey)

1975 – Brazil and Malta establish diplomatic relations

1964 – Malta becomes formally independent