Republic of Singapore

Brazil and Singapore established diplomatic relations in 1967. The Embassy of Brazil was inaugurated in 1979. In 2013, on the occasion of the visit to Brazil by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, K. Shanmugam, the Embassy of Singapore in Brasília was inaugurated.

The economic and commercial dimension is the main pillar of Brazil-Singapore relations. In 2018, Singapore was Brazil’s 6th largest trading partner in Asia, with trade amounting to more than $4.2 billion. Brazilian exports totaled $ 3.58 billion — mainly drilling and exploration platforms,fuel oils,and aircraft engine and turbine parts — while imports reached $645 million, primarily insecticides, formicides, herbicides,fuel oils, and integrated circuits and electronic microassemblies.

Mercosur and Singapore are currently engaged in negotiations aimed at concluding a free trade agreement. Singapore is also one of the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), founded in 1967. In 2018, Brazil’s trade with ASEAN countries totaled more than $19.4 billion.

Singapore is an important Asian investor in Brazil. In addition to projects in shipbuilding and airports, the country holds equity in Brazilian companies in areas such as infrastructure, education, and hospital services, among others. Several Brazilian companies, in turn, have subsidiaries in Singapore.

In 2013, a mechanism for political consultations between the two countries was created, with a view to periodically holding high-level meetings on relevant issues on the bilateral and international agenda. Bilateral instruments are in force on air services, double taxation regarding air and maritime transport, cooperation in science and technology, and partial visa exemption. In 2018, the two countries also signed an agreement to eliminate double taxation related to income taxes and to prevent tax evasion and avoidance.

Chronology of Bilateral Relations

2018 – Visit to Singapore by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (May) [Signed acts] [Joint communiqué]
2018 – Visit to Brazil by Chee Meng Pang, Director of the Department of Industrial Development, as head of the delegation to the 8th World Water Forum in Brasília (March)
2017 – Visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, to Singapore (September)
2015 – Visit to Singapore by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mauro Vieira (22–29 July)
2014 – Visit to Singapore by President Dilma Rousseff, during a technical stop on her way to the G-20 meeting in Brisbane, Australia (November)
2013 – Opening of the Embassy of Singapore in Brazil, on the occasion of the visit to Brazil by Minister of Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam (3–6 April)
2012 – Visit to Brazil by Singapore’s Environment Minister, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, during the Rio+20 Conference
2012 – Visit to Brazil by Singapore’s Transport Minister, Lui Tuck Yew
2012 – Visit to Brazil by Singapore’s Trade Minister, Lim Hng Kiang
2008 – Visit to Brazil by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong
2008 – Visit to Singapore by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim
2007 – Visit to Singapore by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Luís Guedes
2005 – Visit to Brazil by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, S. Jayakumar
2001 – Visit to Brazil by Singapore’s Minister of Trade and Industry, George Yeo
1967 – Establishment of diplomatic relations
2000 – Visit to Brazil by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong
1979 – Opening of the Embassy of Brazil in Singapore