President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will travel to Manila, capital of the Philippines, to strengthen Brazil's relationship with Southeast Asia. He will participate as a guest at the Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on November 15.
In January of this year, Brazil formalized its request to elevate its relationship with the bloc, moving from Sectoral Dialogue Partner to Dialogue Partner. This is the highest possible level of engagement with the bloc. If its request is accepted, Brazil will join a list that includes Canada, South Korea, the United States, and Japan, among others.
"We believe that elevating this partnership will allow us to strengthen the growing closeness that Brazil has been developing with the bloc," explained the Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Susan Kleebanka.
The Brazilian president is scheduled to deliver an address at the opening of the summit. The possibility of this speech is seen by Brazilian diplomacy as a sign of respect for Brazil and a privilege for a non-member country of the bloc. Generally, the opening speech is reserved only for the leader of the summit's host country.
The invitation extended to Lula, for the second consecutive year, also demonstrates the bloc's respect for Brazil, in the view of Itamaraty. In 2025, Lula was invited to attend the summit, held in Malaysia. Now, the invitation is repeated, this time to the Philippines.
Brazilian trade with ASEAN countries has been gaining importance over the years, having increased tenfold between 2003 and 2025, rising from US$3 billion to US$38 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 12%.
The ASEAN member states are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, and Laos.
Bilateral meetings
Lula is also expected to hold bilateral meetings, still subject to confirmation. So far, six countries have requested an agenda with the Brazilian president. The only certainty at this point, besides participation in the Asian bloc's summit, is a state visit to the Philippines, one day before the ASEAN Summit. In 2026, the countries will mark 80 years of relations.
Lula is expected to seek to expand Brazil's partnership with the Philippines. Brazil exports coffee, açaí, juices, and processed goods, such as pasta and cookies, and wants to increase the sales volume of these products. Since 2016, trade between the countries has grown fourfold.
The president arrives in Manila from Antalya, Turkey, after participating in the 31st Climate Change Conference (COP31). He leaves Antalya on Thursday night (the 12th), heading to the Philippines, on a flight of approximately 14 hours. On the 14th, the state visit will take place, and on the 15th, participation in the ASEAN Summit. A press conference is also planned, with date and time to be determined.