Republic of Tunisia

Brazil was among the first countries to recognize Tunisia’s independence in 1956. That same year, a Brazilian Consulate was opened in Tunis, and in 1961, a resident Embassy was established. Temporarily closed in 1999, the Brazilian Embassy was reopened in 2001 during the visit of the Secretary-General for  Foreign Affairs to Tunis, an occasion that also marked the First Session of the Brazil–Tunisia Joint Commission.

The reopening of the Brazilian Embassy marked the beginning of a growing bilateral rapprochement. The following Brazilian Foreign Ministers visited Tunis: Celso Amorim on three occasions (2005, 2008, and 2009); Antonio Patriota (2012); Mauro Vieira (2016); and Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (2018). Tunisian Foreign Ministers Habib Ben Yahia, Abdelwaheb Abdallah, Khemaïes Jhinaoui, and Nabil Ammar visited Brazil in 2002, 2006, 2017, and 2024, respectively. During the visits of Ministers Abdallah and Jhinaoui, the second and third sessions of the Brazil–Tunisia Joint Commission were held.

In 2012, Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Moncef Marzouki met on the sidelines of the 3rd South America–Arab Countries Summit in Lima.

The strengthening of bilateral relations led to the diversification of the cooperation agenda, which came to include areas such as social development, food security, education, environment, and forest resources. Currently, two technical cooperation programs are being implemented: the first focused on the development of eucalyptus plantations in Tunisia, and the second aimed at strengthening the institutional capacities of the Tunisian Agency for Technical Cooperation (ATCT). In 2024, Brazil and Tunisia signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Rio Branco Institute and the Tunisian diplomatic academy to expand the exchange in diplomat training.

In 2024, trade between Brazil and Tunisia reached a historic high, totaling $472 million (a 6% increase compared to 2023). Brazilian exports to Tunisia amounted to $400 million, while imports from Tunisia totaled  $72 million, resulting in a trade surplus of $328 million for Brazil. Brazil's main exports to Tunisia were soybeans (29%), sugar (18%), and corn (18%). Tunisia’s main exports to Brazil included vegetable oils (21%), salts and peroxo salts (10%), and non-oil-bearing fruits and nuts (9%).

Chronology of Bilateral Relations

2024 – Visit of Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Ammar to Brazil

2021 – The 4th Brazil–Tunisia Political Consultations Meeting is held via videoconference

2018 – Brazilian Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira visits Tunisia

2017 – The 3rd Brazil–Tunisia Joint Commission is held in Brazil (April)

2017 – Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Khemaïes Jhinaoui visits Brazil. Signing of Agreement on  science, technology, and innovation; a Youth Cooperation Framework Agreement; and a Memorandum of Understanding on the promotion of economic relations (April)

2016 – Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira visits  Tunisia. Signing of  memorandums of understanding on tourism and social development

2015 – Launch of a technical cooperation project to support Tunisia in eucalyptus cultivation

2014 – Signing of the Framework Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation between MERCOSUR and Tunisia (December)

2014 – Tunisian interministerial delegation organized by the WFP Centre of Excellence Against Hunger visits Brazil to learn about the Brazilian School Feeding Program (April)

2014 – Meeting of the Brazil–Tunisia Follow-up Committee is held in Tunis (April)

2012 – Meeting between Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Moncef Marzouki on the sidelines of the 3rd South America–Arab Countries Summit in Lima (September)

2012 – Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota visits Tunis (April)

2009 – Foreign Minister Celso Amorim visits Tunis

2008 – Foreign Minister Celso Amorim visits Tunis

2006 – 2nd Brazil–Tunisia Joint Commission is held in Brasília

2006 – Tunisian Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah visits Brazil. On this occasion, an agreement on higher education cooperation was signed

2005 – Working visit of Foreign Minister Celso Amorim to Tunis

2002 – Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia visits Brazil. On this occasion, technical cooperation agreements and an agreement between diplomatic academies were signed

2001 – The 1st Brazil–Tunisia Joint Commissionis held in Tunis

2001 – The  Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Luiz Felipe de Seixas Corrêa, visits Tunis. On this occasion, a partial visa waiver agreement and the protocol establishing the political consultation mechanism were signed

2001 – Reopening of the Brazilian Embassy in Tunis

1999 – The  Brazilian Embassy in Tunis is closed

1990 – Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Boularès visits Brazil. On this occasion, trade agreements and the establishment of the Joint Cooperation Commission were signed

1968 – Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Bourguiba visits Brazil. Agreements were signed in the areas of culture and migration

1961 – Establishment of the Brazilian Embassy in Tunis

1956 – Recognition of Tunisia's independence and opening of the Brazilian Consulate in Tunis