Global Brazil and U. S.- Brazil Relations

As the world's fifth most populous country, fifth largest landmass, and eighth largest economy, Brazil has emerged as an essential but relatively untapped and still misinterpreted power. Its decisions and policies effect a wide range of global issues. Today, Brazil is increasingly active in areas of international trade and finance, global governance, energy, climate change, agriculture, peacekeeping, pandemic disease, and poverty. Yet even as these global challenges increasingly form part of the U.S.-Brazil agenda, U.S. policymakers and opinion leaders know little about Brazil's interests and influence.

This Independent Task Force report reviews the array of issues related to Brazil's emergence as a global power and offers concrete analysis and insight on the important U.S. relationship with Brazil. It provides guidance to policymakers and others seeking to understand and interact with this increasingly influential country. The report aims to fill the vacuum of policy-related analysis, which, in turn, can advance the coalescence of a more structured dialogue and cooperation on global and bilateral issues.

Samuel W. Bodman served as U.S. secretary of energy from 2005 to 2009. Previously, he was deputy secretary of the treasury from 2003 to 2005 and deputy secretary of commerce from 2001 to 2003. James D. Wolfensohn is chairman of Wolfensohn & Company, LLC, chairman of Citigroup's international advisory board, and adviser to Citigroup's senior management on global strategy and on international matters. He was president of the World Bank Group from 1995 to 2005. Julia E. Sweig is the Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America studies and director for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.