Brazil strengthens trade ties with Morocco and Egypt, expands agricultural agenda in North Africa

From April 7 to 10, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) conducted an official mission to Morocco and Egypt to deepen sanitary discussions and expand technical cooperation in the region. The mission was led by Mapa’s Deputy Secretary for Trade and International Relations, Marcel Moreira, with support from Brazil’s agricultural attachés in both countries: Ellen Laurindo in Morocco and Rafael Mohana in Egypt. 

In Morocco, the focus was on strengthening institutional ties with local sanitary authorities and promoting Brazilian agricultural products. During a meeting with Abdellah Janati, Director General of Morocco’s National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), the Deputy Secretary expressed appreciation for the recent opening of the Moroccan market to Brazilian beef offal—marking the 346th market opening since the beginning of the current administration. They also discussed opportunities for technical cooperation between the two countries. 

The visit featured the “Brazilian Beef Dinner,” organized by the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (ABIEC) in partnership with the Brazilian Embassy in Rabat. The event highlighted the quality of Brazilian beef and brought together local authorities, business leaders, and representatives from the agri-food sector to foster new commercial connections. 

The second part of the mission took place in Egypt, where Deputy Secretary Moreira was received by the Acting Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Moustafa El Sayyad, and other senior officials. They discussed the significant growth of Brazilian agricultural exports to Egypt in 2024, which totaled USD 3.3 billion and over 8.5 million tons of agribusiness products. In 2024, Egypt became Brazil’s top agricultural trading partner in Africa. 

On sanitary matters, Brazilian representatives emphasized the mutual trust built over recent years, which enabled multiple market openings and led to the recognition of Brazil’s agricultural defense system through the Equivalence Agreement (pre-listing). Egyptian authorities expressed interest in further strengthening this partnership, especially in advancing electronic certification for animal-based products and opening the market to new items. 

The mission concluded with another edition of the “Brazilian Beef Dinner” in Cairo, following the successful event held in Morocco. It served as a platform for connecting authorities and business leaders around Brazilian beef in a market that values quality, sanitary safety, and long-term trade relationships. 

Beyond opening markets, this mission reflects Brazil’s strategy to build lasting alliances with key Arab countries, combining strong diplomatic ties, technical cooperation, and a solid commercial presence in support of global food security. 


Press information
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