Isaura Daniel*
São Paulo – Brazil is one of the great suppliers of agricultural products to the Arab countries. Exports of greater added value products, however, have also been growing according to the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Antonio Sarkis Jr. Sarkis discussed the matter on Friday (26) with a group of members of the São Paulo Rotary Club, at Rio Branco school, in the capital of the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, which goes by the same name. Around 70 people participated.
Sarkis pointed out the importance of the Arab market to agricultural and livestock products that that Brazil exports, as the region imports 90% of the foods it consumes, but he also recalled that products like vehicles, machinery and aircraft are growing in the trade basket. The president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber presented to the group the potential of the Arab market. The 22 countries in the League of Arab States imported US$ 292 billion from the world last year, of which US$ 5.2 billion came from Brazil. "There is potential for significant growth in Brazilian sales," said Sarkis.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the region is US$ 1.02 trillion. According to the president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, the organization has identified the sectors in which there are greater possibilities for growth in Brazilian exports, among them manufactured products, auto parts, non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. "The League of Arab States is the fourth largest destination for Brazilian exports, ahead of Germany, for example. It is a very important market for Brazilian foreign trade," he said.
The figures presented by Sarkis surprised the businessmen and independent professionals present. "It is surprising to us that foreign trade between Brazil and the Arab countries is so significant," stated the president of the São Paulo Rotary Club, José Roberto de Arruda Pinto. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce president also mentioned some of the large projects that are being developed in the Arab world, like the construction of artificial islands and ski stations, showing the consumption potential of the area.
Growth
Exports from Brazil to the Arab world have grown 24% between January and April this year when compared to the same period last year. Brazil had revenues of US$ 1.65 billion with sales to the region in the first four months of 2006, against US$ 1.33 billion between January and April 2005. The Arab Brazilian Chamber is working, together with governments and businessmen, on increasing the trade between both regions. During the Friday talk to members of the Rotary, Sarkis made a short presentation about the work of the organization.
Last year, for example, the Arab Brazilian Chamber promoted and participated in 54 events, of which 20 took place in the Arab countries. One of them was the promotion, in São Paulo, of a business meeting after the Summit of South American – Arab Countries, at the end of the month of May, which brought together 150 Arab and 500 Brazilian businessmen. The organization also signed an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Brazil to proceed with the topics of the Summit. The Arab Brazilian Chamber was established 53 years ago and is the only organization in the country recognized by the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries.
Sarkis was invited to give the talk by the current president of the Management Program Commission at the Rotary Club, Nahid Chicani, who is also a member of the board at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, and who has already held many positions at the Rotary, among them the presidency in 1996 and 1997. "We always seek important people in the community to bring a current and pertinent message to the members of the Rotary Club," explained Chicani.
According to the president of the Rotary, in the club there are members of Arab descent. "We are interested in coming closer to the Arab world. Brazilians naturally sympathise with the Arabs as do the Arabs with the Brazilians," he said. The Rotary Club gave Sarkis a certificate for his talk and participation in the event.
*Translated by Mark Ament
