ASTANA – Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on July 5 in Rio de Janeiro as part of his visit to attend the BRICS Summit.
Murat Nurtleu and Mauro Vieira. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
The officials reviewed bilateral cooperation across political, economic, investment, energy, cultural and humanitarian areas, and discussed engagement within international organizations. Nurtleu emphasized that Kazakhstan considers Brazil a key partner and a reliable friend in Latin America, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s press service.
Both diplomats stressed the importance of maintaining consistent dialogue and increasing high-level exchanges. Nurtleu invited his Brazilian counterpart to visit Astana.
Brazil is Kazakhstan’s top trade partner in South America. In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded $257 million, with a turnover of $104.2 million in the first quarter of 2025, representing an 88% increase.
Nurtleu and Vieira confirmed their shared interest in expanding cooperation in priority sectors.
“We are ready to strengthen our engagement in such areas as agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and logistics. It is essential to identify specific niches for mutually beneficial cooperation,” said Vieira.
The ministers voiced interest in boosting cooperation through technology exchange in renewable energy, digital innovation, and advanced tech. They underscored the alignment between Astana and Brazil on major global issues and reaffirmed their mutual support in multilateral platforms, including the UN.
Kazakhstan seeks stronger business ties with Brazil’s leading companies
As part of the visit, a roundtable titled Brazil-Kazakhstan: Prospects for Cooperation drew major Brazilian sectoral associations and companies. The event spotlighted investment and trade opportunities, included presentations on Kazakhstan’s market potential, and concluded with the signing of several bilateral memoranda.
Murat Nurtleu held meetings with leaders of Brazil’s major industrial associations and corporations. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
While in Rio de Janeiro, Nurtleu also held meetings with top executives of Brazil’s major industrial associations and corporations on July 6, including Embraer, Tramontina, Vale, Marcopolo, and Amazul.
In meetings with Ricardo Alban, president of Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry, and Gilberto Petry, vice president of the Confederation and co-chair of the Kazakhstan-Brazil Business Council, Nurtleu discussed opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation and extended an invitation for Brazilian business leaders to attend the fourth meeting of the Business Council in Kazakhstan later this year.
Guinter Leonardo Brinkmann, regional director at Tramontina, a major Brazilian manufacturer of kitchenware and home appliances, announced the company’s intention to open a representative office in Almaty.
In talks with Embraer President Francisco Gomes Neto, discussions focused on expanding the company’s presence in Central Asia, with Kazakhstan emerging as a potential site for an aircraft maintenance hub.
Kazakhstan and Vale, a global mining company with headquarters in Brazil, reached an agreement to arrange a visit by a company delegation following talks with Executive Vice President Sami Arap, with the aim of exploring potential cooperation in the raw materials sector.
In a meeting with Marcopolo Vice President Mauro Gilberto Bellini, discussions centered on potential cooperation in localizing passenger vehicle production, including a project to assemble buses in Kazakhstan.
Nurtleu emphasized Kazakhstan’s investor-friendly regulatory framework, strategic role in global transport corridors, and support for international businesses. He encouraged Latin American partners to engage in the Kazakhstan-Brazil Business Council.
