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ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s balanced foreign policy, advances in artificial intelligence and institutional reforms offer valuable lessons for Brazil, while cooperation in critical minerals, energy and logistics could strengthen ties between the two countries, said Márcio Coimbra, director of Casa Política and president of the Monitor da Democracia Institute, in an interview with The Astana Times.
Márcio Coimbra. Photo credit: Márcio Coimbra’s personal archive.
Coimbra is visiting Central Asia for the first time, with plans to travel to the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan before continuing to the Caucasus. He said the region’s rapid development and growing geopolitical importance deserve greater attention in Latin America.
“But it’s a part of the world that Latin America doesn’t look at with the right attention. And it calls my attention because it’s becoming very developed very fast here,” he said.
Kazakhstan’s balanced diplomacy offers lessons for Brazil
Coimbra identified Kazakhstan’s ability to maintain constructive relations with major global powers as one of the country’s most valuable experiences for Brazil.
Coimbra said Brazil could learn from Kazakhstan’s foreign policy approach, notably its emphasis on national sovereignty and economic interests.
“I’ve always defended that Brazil needs to be defending Brazil’s sovereignty. And I think that you do it in a very smart way here,” he said.
He described Kazakhstan’s approach as balancing Beijing, Brussels and Washington while prioritizing national economic interests.
“Because then you put your economic interests first and Kazakhstan first,” he said.
Coimbra said Brazil could apply similar principles to its own foreign policy. He also emphasized the need to strengthen ties between Brazil and Kazakhstan, which share challenges and opportunities as middle powers.
Cooperation in critical minerals, AI and energy
Coimbra highlighted critical minerals, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and agriculture as promising areas for bilateral cooperation.
Both countries possess substantial natural resources, including critical minerals, but face challenges in developing domestic processing capacity. He noted that China remains a major processor of rare earth elements, creating opportunities for countries to diversify supply chains and develop their own industrial capabilities.
He also pointed to Kazakhstan’s progress in artificial intelligence, including the development of data centers and a large language model based on its national language.
Brazil’s extensive hydropower resources could support cooperation in digital infrastructure. Coimbra said Kazakhstan and Brazil could explore partnerships connecting Kazakhstan’s data center ambitions with Brazil’s clean electricity supply.
He also identified opportunities in oil and gas expertise, agricultural production and logistics, including connections between Kazakhstan’s Middle Corridor and Latin American trade flows.
“Things that are missing to you are in Brazil. And things that are missing in Brazil you have here,” he said.
Reforms should reflect national values
Coimbra welcomed Kazakhstan’s institutional reforms, including the transition to a unicameral parliament and the introduction of the Kurultai, describing them as steps toward a political system rooted in the country’s history and culture.
He said countries should develop institutions suited to their own circumstances rather than simply importing foreign models.
“Every country has the right to find its own system that adapts to its own culture,” he said.
Turning potential into practical partnerships
Despite shared economic interests, Coimbra said geographic distance, limited direct air connections and a lack of information have constrained relations between Central Asia and Latin America.
He noted that reaching Kazakhstan from Brazil involves multiple flight connections, making travel more difficult and expensive. He said stronger transport links would help bring the regions closer together.
Coimbra called for stronger business links, targeted investment projects, technology transfer and more structured cooperation between the two countries’ private sectors.
He also proposed leveraging multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, the G20 and BRICS, to align positions on sustainable development and global governance.
“The single largest opportunity lies in creating a strategic commodity and infrastructural bridge,” he said, emphasizing the need to move beyond broad agreements toward practical, co-financed projects.
For Coimbra, stronger Kazakhstan-Brazil relations would bring together complementary resources, energy capabilities and technological ambitions while giving both countries greater room to pursue their economic interests independently.
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