The United States and Brazil continue to strengthen their political and economic ties after a significant recovery in bilateral trade in 2021. Two-way trade in goods and services reached $98.4 billion last year, up from $77.3 billion in 2020. The US had an overall trade surplus of $25.5 billion for goods and services in 2021, with Brazil’s main imports including aircraft, machinery, petroleum products, and medical instruments.
In February 2022, a new protocol updating the 2011 Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation went into effect, improving provisions on customs administration, trade facilitation, regulatory practices, and anti-corruption. Additionally, the US and Brazil have launched a full Global Entry arrangement to ease travel between the countries for business and tourism purposes.
The two nations have also been cooperating extensively on human rights, with their Global Human Rights Working Group dialogue ongoing since 2015. The latest meeting in February 2022 addressed issues such as police violence, racial bias, gender equity, indigenous peoples’ rights, and religious freedom.
In terms of pandemic response, the US government provided more than $30 million in direct funding, and the US private sector contributed over $75 million to fight COVID-19 in Brazil during 2020 and 2021, including vaccine donations.
The United States and Brazil are also working together on various fronts, including climate engagement, education and cultural cooperation, technology and defense cooperation, and international assistance. These joint efforts further solidify the strong partnership between the two largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere.
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