The 13th Brazil Africa Forum kicked off on 4 November 2025 at the Renaissance São Paulo Hotel, drawing more than 1,200 delegates from 35 African nations alongside Brazilian policymakers and multinationals. Under the banner “Global Partnerships for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security,” organisers emphasised the importance of smoother mobility to unlock trade and investment flows between the continents.
Visa facilitation – Speaking at the opening ceremony, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira announced that Brazil will waive the consular-interview requirement for holders of African Union diplomatic passports and expand its online visa portal to cover 12 additional African countries by early 2026. Delegates praised the move: “Reducing paperwork is as critical as lowering tariffs,” said Kenya’s agriculture minister.
![Brazil Africa Forum 2025 opens in São Paulo, highlighting relaxed visa pathways for African executives]()
Business mobility agenda – Panels on day one focused on cross-border talent deployment, with Brazilian agritech firms explaining how they rotate engineers between São Paulo and Accra on six-month secondments. HR directors urged Mercosur and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a mutual skills-recognition framework, noting that inconsistent work-permit rules remain a barrier.
Practical takeaways – Companies were advised to combine Brazil’s new visitor-status rules (which, since October, allow short-term technical work without a separate permit) with Carnet ATA temporary-import guarantees for demonstration equipment. Travel providers reported a 22 % surge in bookings from Lagos and Johannesburg to São Paulo in the fortnight preceding the forum, helped by LATAM’s recently added codeshare with Ethiopian Airlines.
Looking ahead – The forum concludes on 5 November with a matchmaking session between state-owned banks and agrifood start-ups. Participants expect concrete announcements on reciprocal visa-waiver pilots during President Lula’s scheduled Africa tour in December.
Visa facilitation – Speaking at the opening ceremony, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira announced that Brazil will waive the consular-interview requirement for holders of African Union diplomatic passports and expand its online visa portal to cover 12 additional African countries by early 2026. Delegates praised the move: “Reducing paperwork is as critical as lowering tariffs,” said Kenya’s agriculture minister.
Business mobility agenda – Panels on day one focused on cross-border talent deployment, with Brazilian agritech firms explaining how they rotate engineers between São Paulo and Accra on six-month secondments. HR directors urged Mercosur and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a mutual skills-recognition framework, noting that inconsistent work-permit rules remain a barrier.
Practical takeaways – Companies were advised to combine Brazil’s new visitor-status rules (which, since October, allow short-term technical work without a separate permit) with Carnet ATA temporary-import guarantees for demonstration equipment. Travel providers reported a 22 % surge in bookings from Lagos and Johannesburg to São Paulo in the fortnight preceding the forum, helped by LATAM’s recently added codeshare with Ethiopian Airlines.
Looking ahead – The forum concludes on 5 November with a matchmaking session between state-owned banks and agrifood start-ups. Participants expect concrete announcements on reciprocal visa-waiver pilots during President Lula’s scheduled Africa tour in December.
