Brazilian Mayors Join Global City Leaders At Expo City Dubai Summit To Enhance City-Level Collaboration For A Sustainable Urban Future

Mayors and deputy mayors from 20 cities across Brazil convened at Expo City Dubai on Monday to explore increased city-to-city cooperation on sustainable urban development and honour growing business ties between the UAE and Brazil.

The gathering, attended by His Excellency Sharif Essa Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil, and His Excellency Sidney Leon Romeiro, Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the UAE, took place on the sidelines of the first day of the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum and reflected the UAE’s deepening strategic urban cooperation and economic ties with city leaders across Brazil.

With mayors and urban coalitions increasingly at the forefront of global problem-solving, the UAE is focusing efforts on establishing direct, foundational relationships with Brazilian cities, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba, advancing shared goals in AI, digital transformation, climate adaptation and inclusive growth.

A robust and strategic economic alliance

Economic relations between the two nations are characterised by a high level of mutual investments and significant trade flows: Brazil is the UAE’s largest trade partner in South America, while the UAE is the second-largest trade partner for Brazil in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Dubai-based companies are increasing their operations in Brazil, with DP World expanding its investments around São Paulo’s Port of Santos, where it operates one of the country’s largest private port terminals. Meanwhile, Emirates Airline has upped the frequency of its flights to Brazil, now operating daily flights from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to address rising demand for both tourism and business travel.

Building the next generation of sustainable cities

The gathering was also an opportunity to cement the UAE and Brazil’s 50-year diplomatic relationship, celebrated last year, and further align on a shared commitment to creating sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities, enhancing existing areas of cooperation and investment including in technology, tourism, culture, trade and renewable energy.

The discussion also focused on opportunities for public-private partnerships, particularly around inclusive innovation zones, smart infrastructure and green mobility projects.

With a goal to translate urban visions into tangible reality, city leaders highlighted the complementary expertise of both nations – the UAE’s rapid implementation of smart infrastructure and Brazil’s extensive experience with large-scale urban systems and rich biodiversity.

The mayors and city leaders are in Dubai for the global cities summit – held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. Over three days, they will dive deep into the challenges facing cities across the world, leveraging shared experiences in rapid urban development and infrastructure deployment to tackle global challenges such as climate resilience and citizen wellbeing.