Ministers from IEA Member countries today unanimously affirmed the decision to start the formal accession process for Brazil to become a Member country of the Agency. This marks a step-change for Brazil's engagement with global energy governance and a milestone in the IEA's relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil, the largest economy in the region, has been an IEA Association country since 2017.
"Brazil welcomes with great satisfaction the progress made in its accession process to the International Energy Agency," said Brazil's Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira. "We are ready to contribute our experience while further strengthening Brazil's energy policy to ensure secure and affordable energy for our people. We stand ready to work side by side with the Agency in building more secure, resilient and inclusive energy systems."
"The Ministers' decision to initiate Brazil's accession process is a testament to the deepening partnership between Brazil and the IEA," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "It reflects the country's strategic importance in the global energy landscape. Brazil's leadership on energy security, its diversified energy mix and its growing demand for electricity will strengthen our collective efforts at a time when continued cooperation is needed most."
Brazil's formal request to begin the accession process followed the submission of a letter in September 2025 by Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Viera to the IEA Executive Director, signalling the government's intention to seek membership and build on years of close cooperation in areas such as energy security, data and statistics and policy analysis.
As part of the accession process, Brazil will work with the IEA Secretariat and member governments to meet the Agency's membership criteria including obligations related to oil stockholding, emergency response measures and data reporting as set out in IEA governance frameworks.
The start of Brazil's accession process toward IEA membership further reinforces the IEA's role as the leading organisation on international energy cooperation, particularly at a time of evolving energy markets, rising critical minerals and electricity demand.
