2024 has cemented Latin America’s significance as a hub for global collaboration and opportunity.

This year, Brazil hosted the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Peru welcomed APEC, and several pivotal elections are unfolding across the region, drawing international attention. These events became platforms to advance strategic partnerships and promote Latin America as a destination for trade, investment, and international education.

Victoria’s Commissioner to the Americas, Nigel Warren, represented the State of Victoria at the APEC CEO Summit in Lima, Peru, from 13-15 November. With the theme People, Business, Prosperity, the summit highlighted innovative solutions to address regional challenges, particularly through disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and digital health.

Connecting Mines and Minds: Energy and Mining Delegations Between Victoria and Latin America

Latin America’s pivotal role in the global energy transition continues to open doors for collaboration with Victoria.

As a resource-rich region with significant reserves of critical minerals like lithium and copper, it is driving global advancements in clean energy. Countries such as Chile and Brazil are at the forefront of renewable energy innovation, offering opportunities for Victorian companies to engage with a rapidly evolving market.

Our Santiago VGTI team, led by Natalia Gorrono and Macarena Fuentes, has been actively fostering these connections. They supported multiple delegations from Latin America visiting Australia, facilitating partnerships with Victorian companies and advancing discussions on sustainability, innovation, and net-zero targets.

At IMARC 2024, they engaged with delegations from Peru, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, and Argentina, helping these groups connect with Victorian Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services (METS) companies. The event centred on leadership and cutting-edge technologies aimed at building a more sustainable mining future.

The following week, two high-profile delegations from Chile, led by AusCham and SOFOFA, explored Victoria's thriving energy and mining sectors. Highlights included visits to innovative companies like Electralith, Power Plus Energy, Wave Swell Energy, Duratray International and Black Stump Technologies, as well as leading research and training centers such as the Victorian Tunnelling Centre at Holmesglen TAFE, Deakin University’s Battery Research and Innovation Hub, Rio Tinto’s Research and Technology Centre.

The Santiago VGTI team also showcased Victoria’s clean energy capabilities at the All-Energy Conference in Melbourne, the southern hemisphere’s largest renewable energy event.

Natalia and Macarena also guided a cohort of Victorian exporters at Exposibram 2024 in Brazil, showcasing Victoria's capabilities and forging valuable connections. Their efforts laid a strong foundation for the upcoming Global Victoria-led mission to ExpoMin in Chile, scheduled for April 2025.

Strengthening Victoria’s Education Connections with Latin America

Education ties between Victoria and Latin America reached new heights in 2024. Study Melbourne hosted a senior education delegation from Latin America to participate in the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC). During their visit to Victoria, the delegation not only attended AIEC but also toured several leading universities, exploring opportunities for collaboration such as dual degree programs, student exchanges, and joint research initiatives. These engagements underscored Victoria’s strengths in fostering global partnerships and driving innovation in education.

The mission included representatives from top Colombian universities, Fundación COLFUTURO, and Brazil’s Araucaria Foundation, further solidifying educational partnerships.

The Study Melbourne Latam Team, in collaboration with the Queensland and NSW governments, successfully launched the inaugural Vente Australia Fairs in Bogotá, Lima, and Santiago.

As the first event of its kind led by state governments and supported by Austrade, the fairs registered the interest of almost 12,000 high-calibre students eager to explore study opportunities in Australia.The event showcased the strong demand for Victorian education in Latin America, with the participation and support of Victoria's leading universities further highlighting the state’s world-class academic offerings and commitment to fostering global educational partnerships.

Growing Latin America connections in Melbourne

Global Victoria, as part of the Global Victoria Women initiative, hosted a briefing session in September focused on Victoria-Colombia connections, international education and empowering women and girls in sports.

The briefing was part of a broader program in Melbourne for a group of talented Colombian girls and amateur athletes from Puerto Tejada as part of a cultural and sports diplomacy initiative organised by the Colombian Embassy in Canberra and the Embassy of Australia to Colombia.

Brazil Week comes to Melbourne

Global Victoria was delighted to partner with the Australia-Brazil Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) to host the inaugural Brazil Week event in Melbourne at the Investment Centre Victoria.

Australia Latin America Business Council (ALABC) to celebrate their 35^th anniversary and business excellence award winners as part of their Annual Dinner in Melbourne.

The event brought together key stakeholders from diverse sectors, underscoring Victoria's strong commitment to expanding its strategic partnership with Latin America. Aligned with the dinner was a two-day site visit program for Latin American Ambassadors, welcoming Ambassadors and Consular representatives
from Brazil, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

As part of the Ambassadors’ program, site visits were undertaken to Victorian exporters PowerPlus Energy and SDI Limited highlighting Victorian capabilities and innovation and their existing presence and business interests
in Latin America.

The Ambassadors also visited the Geological Survey of Victoria's (GSV) Drill Core Library and rel="noreferrer noopener">CSIRO Food Innovation highlighting opportunities for collaboration and partnership in key sectors of mining and agriculture.