South America and Africa are joining hands to find practical solutions to developmental challenges, especially in the agriculture and health sectors.

The AfDB and Brazil signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in June establishing a framework for long-term collaboration in health and agriculture, as well as climate resilience and skills.

The partnership will leverage the AfDB’s financial and regional influence and Brazil’s experience in tropical agriculture, renewable energy, public health systems and enterprise development, reports the Africa Business Communities

The AfDB hopes to draw on Brazil’s expertise to help improve food security on the continent, adapt to climate change, strengthen health systems and create jobs for youth, according to Martin Fregene, of the AfDB.

In the agricultural sector the partnership will collaborate on climate-smart farming, irrigation mechanisation, agro-processing, enterprise development and applied research. In the health sector, the partners will seek to strengthen health systems and develop the workforce, while also investigating digital health technologies as well as vaccine and pharmaceutical production.

The wide-ranging MoU also covers co-operation in finance with a special focus on SMEs. In addition to collaborating on renewable energy, the partners hope to work together on bioenergy, carbon markets and nature-based solutions. Technical and vocational education, higher education modernisation, innovation ecosystems and youth entrepreneurship are also on the table.

The MoU builds on a long-term relationship, with Brazil having become a non-regional member of the AfDB in 1982.

23 June 2026
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