Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministério das Relações Exteriores, MRE

The Ministry of External Relations (Ministério das Relações Exteriores, MRE) is administrating Brazil's foreign relations with other countries. The ministry is currently governed by Chancellor Celso Amorim (in 2010).

Increasing regional integration with Mercosul and other regional and financial bodies are the primary objectives of the ministry. Other important topics are the protection of human rights, environmental preservation and the maintenance of peace.

The Ministry of External Relations operates the Rio Branco Institute (a higher education institute focused on international relations and diplomacy) and the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation. The Alexandre Gusmão Foundation is promoting research and cooperation in the field of international relations through its own Research Institute of International Relations (Instituto de Pesquisa de Relações Internacionais, IPRI) and the History and Documentation Center of Diplomacy.

MRE`s Department of Science and Technology (Divisão de Ciência e Tecnologia, DCTEC) is in charge when it comes to international Science and Technology agreements between Brazil and foreign countries. For agreements with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the MRE is working together with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT). Cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is established by the MRE, with the help of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (Agência Brasileira de Cooperação, ABC) on the Brazilian side and the German Technical Cooperation Agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit, GTZ) on the German side.

Website:  Ministério das Relações Exteriores