São Paulo – This Tuesday (31st) the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce announced a set of actions for 2012. The organization is celebrating its 60th anniversary and intends to mark the date with commercial and cultural initiatives.
The highlights include the launch of a new product, InfoBiz, an online data bank on the Arab world. “It includes economic data, market data, taxes, everything pertaining to the entry of a given product in the market,” explained the Arab Brazilian Chamber president, Salim Taufic Schahin, in a press conference at the organization’s headquarters in São Paulo.
The information will be available in Portuguese, English and Arabic. InfoBiz should be available by the end of March. Some of the content will be available for free, whereas more strategic information will be available only to the Chamber’s associates. The system will also comprise culture and tourism information.
Upon turning 60, the organization is also arranging the release of a book recounting its history, and a commemorative postage stamp.
With regard to trade promotion, Schahin and the Arab Brazilian Chamber CEO, Michel Alaby, mentioned participation in trade shows, such as Djazagro, for food and agriculture, due April in Algeria; and two buyer projects which will bring Arab importers to negotiate with Brazilian companies at domestic fairs.
The first buyer project will take place at Expo Revestir, a ceramic facing show scheduled for April in São Paulo. In partnership with the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), the Chamber will bring design consultants and architects to look at Brazilian products. The event will also include an Image Project (Projeto Imagem), consisting of bringing a construction industry journalist from the United Arab Emirates and another from Qatar to become acquainted with the Brazilian market.
Another buyer project will be held during the fair of the São Paulo Supermarket Association (Apas), in June, as Arab food buyers will engage in negotiations with Brazilian suppliers at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters. Schahin underscored the importance of these two projects. “Visiting Brazil is always important,” said the executive, while remarking that the Arabs favour one-on-one contact.
The organization will also promote activities such as the Arab Cuisine Festival (Festival de Gastronomia Árabe), the celebration of the Day of the Arab Community, on March 25th, an art show in partnership with the Institut du Monde Arabe, in Paris, and workshops on culture and trade with the Arabs.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
