Doha – When he was in Brazil in 2005, for the 1st Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), the secretary general of the League of Arab States, Amr Mussa, said that he hoped that trade between Brazil and the Arab countries would grow 100%, which has already taken place. Now, on the eve of the 2nd Aspa, to take place on the 31st, he hopes to see the trade flow doubling again. "We want it to double gain in the next two years or so," he said on Sunday (29) in an exclusive interview to ANBA, in Doha, Qatar.
In 2004, the year prior to the first summit, bilateral trade between Brazil and the Arab countries had been US$ 8.2 billion. In 2008, it reached US$ 20.3 billion, expansion of 147%. However, to Mussa, the volume is still below its potential. "The figures are still modest," he said, after the opening ceremony of the South America-Arab Countries Business Forum, at Sharq Village hotel, in Doha.
The secretary general also said that the international financial crisis should be in the heart of talks at the 2nd Aspa and added that he believes that the countries involved may find common strategies to face it. Below is the interview:
ANBA – What are your perspectives for the Aspa Summit?
Amr Mussa – This, as you know, is the second summit, and it is a great event for us. Relations, trade, investment, cooperation and political harmonisation are really heading in the right direction. Thus, the summit means great development in international relations, especially between Arabs and South Americans.
Do you believe that the crisis should be among the main themes of the meeting?
Of course. Definitely. And also the effects of the crisis on the economies of both sides.
May there be some kind of agreements between the [Arab and South American] countries to find a way to face the crisis?
Yes, I believe there may.
In 2005, in Brazil, you said that trade between the country and the Arab world should grow 100%, and it did.
It has grown more than 100%, from around US$ 8 billion to almost US$ 21 billion, but the figures are still modest, and we want to double them again over the next two years or so.
Just two years?
Two decades, if you like. (Laughs.)
*Translated by Mark Ament
