Kazakhstan and Brazil are signaling a new push to deepen political and economic ties as foreign ministers Yermek Kosherbayev and Mauro Vieira held talks in Astana.

Brazil’s top diplomat arrived in the Kazakh capital for an official visit, where both sides highlighted 33 years of diplomatic relations and discussed ways to expand cooperation, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

Kosherbayev described Brazil as one of Kazakhstan’s key partners, stressing the importance of strengthening political dialogue, boosting trade, and enhancing coordination within international organizations.

He noted that it has been 17 years since the last official visit of a Brazilian president to Kazakhstan and expressed hope to welcome President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the near future. The minister also pointed to growing interparliamentary exchanges, saying that Brazilian lawmakers have visited Astana in recent years as part of friendship group meetings.

Kosherbayev added that closer engagement between business communities could unlock new opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Mauro Vieira conveyed greetings from Brazilian President Lula da Silva to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

Calling his visit to Astana an honor, Vieira said both countries maintain strong ties and are marking over three decades of diplomatic relations. He emphasized that Brazil seeks to further expand cooperation with Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region despite geographical distance.

“We want to be closer to Kazakhstan and Central Asia in trade, politics, and culture. There are excellent prospects for developing bilateral trade relations,” Vieira said.

He also highlighted Brazil’s interest in increasing fertilizer imports from Kazakhstan and expanding agricultural cooperation, including in animal protein production and related sectors.

The Brazilian foreign minister added that a delegation of private sector representatives, including major oil companies, accompanied him on the visit.

Kazakhstan currently holds the largest trade turnover with Brazil among Latin American and Caribbean countries, reaching $296 million.