Egypt’s strategic shift towards diversifying partnerships and moving away from the concept of centralized relationships has fundamentally shaped its foreign policy, particularly with Latin American countries, where these relationships are seen as mutually beneficial for all parties. In this context, Egyptian-Brazilian relations stand out as one of the most distinctive partnerships between Egypt and countries in the Latin American continent. This is especially true after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with his Brazilian counterpart during his second official visit to Africa since assuming office. Brasília views its relations with Cairo as a strategic component of Brazilian diplomacy.
Egypt’s Foreign Policy Directions Towards South America:
In the last decade, there has been a noticeable eagerness among Egyptian decision-makers to diversify relations with various regional and global powers, ensuring that Egypt does not fall prey to external pressures that could influence its political decisions. This is achieved by leveraging regional and international partners from whom Egypt can gain through deepening partnerships and learning from successful experiences in areas of mutual interest.
Naturally, the economic dimension has been a crucial driver influencing Egypt’s foreign policy, especially regarding countries with similar experiences, such as those in Latin America, which, despite geographical distance, can significantly contribute to invigorating the economies of both regions.
Moreover, there exists a notable similarity in political stances concerning regional and international issues. This has positioned Egypt as a partner in several coalitions such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the “Mercosur” group, which includes Egypt, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
It is logical for Brazil to represent a significant partner on Egypt’s agenda for fostering and developing relationships due to its status as a rising power, achieving notable advancements through its domestic development policies and peaceful foreign policies, which heavily rely on dialogue as a tool for conflict resolution.
Furthermore, Brazil wields considerable influence in its regional environment through its memberships in various Latin American coalitions, as well as in the G20 and BRICS. Thus, Egypt views Brazil as a gateway to Latin America, while Brazil sees Egypt as its portal to promising economic opportunities in the African continent, given that Brazil is the seventh-largest economy in the world.
Fields and Prospects of Cooperation Between Egypt and Brazil:
First: Social Protection: Both Egypt and Brazil possess pioneering experiences in social protection and state responsibility for vulnerable groups, especially through Egypt’s significant project “Decent Life” and the “Takaful and Karama” program. Concurrently, Brazil has successfully lifted many sectors of its population out of extreme poverty through various strategies. This implies potential fields for collaboration that could enhance the human experience in both countries.
On another front, both nations have made strides in achieving social aspirations for marginalized groups through strategic planning and participatory budgets aimed at protecting the economic and social rights of workers, farmers, and women.
Second: Economic Cooperation: The current Egyptian administration aims to meet economic needs by attracting foreign investments and strengthening technical cooperation with countries possessing important experiences and emerging economies under circumstances similar to Egypt’s. It is essential to note that trade exchange still leans in favor of Brazil, indicating the importance of activating the role of joint ministerial committees to harness economic opportunities for both countries and facilitate business exchanges.
The Brazilian government has also announced that Egypt and Brazil are expected to discuss the establishment of a new air route between Cairo and São Paulo to commemorate the centenary of their relationship. This would add considerably to the dimensions of their ties, even in tourism and cultural sectors, particularly as tourism rates have been stable but affected by the global pandemic and the need to ease trade and investment flows, in addition to exploring collaboration through ports and maritime transport.
Moreover, Egypt has successfully signed a free trade agreement with the MERCOSUR bloc, which constitutes the trade group of South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Since joining, Egypt has raised trade volume with these four countries by 115%. However, Cairo’s and Brasília’s ambitions extend beyond mere importing and exporting abilities to encompass further areas, such as mutual investments, joint projects, experience exchanges, and cooperation in various sectors like information technology and pharmaceuticals, matching both countries’ capabilities in free trade areas and industrial zones. Egypt also has the capacity to establish logistical zones for Brazilian companies to facilitate their entry into African and Arab markets, given its strategic geographical position connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe and its trade agreements with most African countries. Meanwhile, Brazil possesses capabilities in manufacturing car parts and textiles, further enabling Egypt to serve as a launchpad for these products to Africa.
Additionally, Egypt’s comparative advantage in producing marble and single-use medical supplies allows for the export of such products to countries like Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica via participation in specialized trade fairs in Brazil.
Third: BRICS Membership: Egypt’s accession to this trade bloc marked a significant milestone in bilateral relations, particularly as long-term expectations suggest that Cairo’s membership will gradually reduce its dependence on the US dollar in favor of other currencies or a unified BRICS currency. Egypt aims to boost investments, enhance foreign inflows, and strengthen economic collaboration with BRICS member states.
Egypt’s trade exchange with BRICS members in 2022 and 2023, including both founding and new members, reached $46.673 billion, accounting for over a third of the country’s total foreign trade.
Fourth: Cooperation on Regional Issues: Egypt and Brazil share viewpoints on vital issues within the regional and international spheres, notably the Palestinian cause and the ongoing war in Gaza. The Brazilian president has clearly and directly supported the rights of the Palestinian people to declare their state while publicly criticizing Israel’s aggression and supporting the genocide lawsuit that South Africa filed against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
Brazil has backed Egypt’s efforts to deliver aid to Gaza and facilitated the evacuation of Brazilian families from the region, underscoring Egypt’s role as an important regional player.
Convergence of Perspectives on International Files: Since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Egypt has adopted a fair stance advocating for the rights and sovereignty of all nations while emphasizing the importance of addressing Moscow’s security concerns. This moderate position aligns with Brazil’s approach, which, at certain points during the conflict, sought to mediate between Russia and Ukraine—mediation efforts recognized as crucial at the time.
The Brazilian president affirmed that the West is escalating the conflict by supplying Ukraine with arms. At the same time, Brazil has refrained from following Western nations in imposing sanctions on Russia and has rejected providing Ukraine with ammunition or weapons.
Combating Inequality: This endeavor encompasses multiple levels, including issues related to hunger, the impact of climate changes on developing countries, and the need to reform or rehabilitate international institutions to effectively maintain international peace and security. Both Egypt and Brazil represent developing nations in Africa and South America, aspiring to introduce structural reforms alongside contributions from other countries regarding the operations of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as in the United Nations Security Council, ultimately increasing the representation of countries from the Global South.
Regarding climate change and justice, Brazil stands as one of the developing countries most affected by climate fluctuations, necessitating urgent interventions through funds emerging from international climate conferences, in which Egypt is a key partner. The gravity of climate change in Africa and Latin America threatens global food security and negatively impacts agricultural activities, damaging crops such as coffee, leading to price volatility and increasing desertification risks that significantly harm livestock.
Relations in Renewable Energy: Both Egypt and Brazil possess significant potential in the renewable energy sector. Egypt benefits from abundant solar and wind energy resources, coupled with substantial infrastructure growth over the past decade. On the other hand, Brazil aims to reduce its reliance on coal as an energy source to curtail carbon emissions, having signed an official agreement during the recent climate summit in Dubai titled “Global Commitment to Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Goals.” As a result, Brazil is also becoming a crucial player in renewable energy, with over 80% of the country’s electricity generated from renewable sources, chiefly hydropower, while also rapidly expanding solar and wind energy production.
Food Security: Brazil possesses immense capacities in grain production and other agricultural products and in livestock, making it a pivotal player in food security both regionally and internationally, capable of compensating for lost Russian and potentially Chinese exports at times, albeit temporarily.
Grain production is particularly vital for Egypt, which heavily relies on imports for its needs—a challenge exacerbated by the intricate complications surrounding grain supplies from Russia and Ukraine amidst the ongoing war and global supply chain crises. Brazil is among the largest wheat producers in South America and is poised to meet Egypt’s local needs within the next five years, especially as it transitions towards a more sustainable production model utilizing digital farming, drones, remote sensing, the internet, artificial intelligence, and biotechnological advancements.
Even in terms of livestock, Egypt is a primary trade partner for Brazil in Africa. The Brazilian government has indicated that Egypt is expected to soon approve the importation of new beef from Brazil, as Egypt is a significant importer of beef from Brazil, the world’s largest producer and exporter of halal beef and chicken. In 2023, Egypt relied on Brazil for about 60% of its beef imports and opened its market that year to numerous Brazilian products, including fish, poultry, cotton, gelatin, and collagen.
In terms of trade, Egypt has exceptional capabilities in fertilizer production, with Brazil representing a promising market for locally produced fertilizers. Moreover, regarding water issues, collaboration between the two countries in desalination technologies is anticipated, with Brasília looking to benefit from Cairo’s expertise in this area, given Cairo’s leading experience, especially since Brazil covers an area of approximately 8.5 million square kilometers and has an 8,000-kilometer coastline.
In conclusion, it can be stated that the relationship between Egypt and Brazil presents a promising opportunity to attract investments, not only for Cairo but for the African continent as a whole, considering Egypt’s membership in economic coalitions and groups across Africa, primarily COMESA. Egypt is counting on its large market, which includes approximately 110 million people, ensuring high demand for goods and stimulating exports from and to Latin American countries.
