US designates Brazil as 'major' military ally

The Trump administration has designated Brazil as a "major" non-NATO ally, a move which will allow the Latin American nation priority access to the US weapons market and strengthen bilateral military ties.

Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, New Zealand, Argentina, Bahrain, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tunisia are among other non-NATO allies of the US.

In a memorandum sent to the Secretary of State on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said, "I hereby designate the Federative Republic of Brazil as a major Non-NATO Ally of the United States."

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is an inter-governmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. It constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.

Non-NATO Ally is a designation given by the US for strategic reasons to countries, which are not a NATO member. The designation results in a number of military and financial advantages to such countries.