Brazil has developed a new model investment agreement, the Cooperation and Investment Facilitation Agreement (CIFA).

Unlike traditional bilateral investment treaties (BITs), which are geared towards investor protection, CIFAs focus less on investor protection and more on institutional arrangements and agendas for investment facilitation and cooperation. They promote amicable ways to settle disputes and propose state–state dispute settlement as a last resort. Notably, CIFAs do not include provisions on investor–state arbitration.

CIFA negotiations were launched in 2013. Between March and May 2015, Brazil concluded the first three agreements, with Mozambique, Angola and Mexico. Negotiations with Malawi are reported to have been concluded, and Brazil is also negotiating with Algeria, Chile, Colombia, Morocco, Peru, South Africa and Tunisia.