Geovana Pagel
São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) has defined the official calendar of international fair it will be participating in throughout 2004. This year the organization will participate in three multisector fairs, in Egypt, Algeria, and Syria; one in the furniture and one in the civil construction sector, both in the United Arab Emirates.
"The strategy of participating in fairs must be continuous and permanent," stated CCAB secretary general Michel Alaby. According to Mr. Alaby, if a company is already a traditional supplier on the Arab market, it goes to help fix its image and brand, and if it is new, it goes to analyse the market and begin contacts.
"For this reason, the organization is trying to analyse Arab country demand well and is also valuing partner (businessman) strategy," explained the secretary.
The first fair on the list is the 37th Cairo International Fair, to take place between March 17 and 26. It is a multisector fair in which the CCAB has been participating since 1997. It is an important source of publicity for Brazil in Egypt, which is considered the second largest economy in the Arab countries and is the third largest importer of Brazilian products in the region (US$ 462 million in 2003).
The event, at which the CCAB has been continually present, according to Alaby, is turned to ample trade of products and services: construction material, watches, computers, cosmetics, electronic products, shoes, furniture, presents, jewellery, decoration, leather goods, pharmaceutical products, plastics, rubber and sports material, agricultural machinery, equipment, and autoparts.
From June 2 to 10, the CCAB should be participating in Algiers International Fair, in Algeria. The organization has been present at this multisector event, which is organized together with the Brazilian embassy in Algeria, for six years.
In the last edition, which included the participation of 22 countries, the Brazilian stand had 12 companies showing their catalogues, samples, or who were simply present. "Algeria was chosen because it has the largest trade deficit (in trade with Brazil) among the Arab countries, almost US$ 1 billion," explained the CCAB secretary general.
Three months later, from September 3 to 12, the destination is Syria, for the Damascus International Fair, which is also a multi sector fair. The CCAB has been participating in this event since 1996. At the end of last year, the Brazilian stand counted on the participation of 16 companies from various sectors, especially food, agricultural machinery, marble, and granite.
"This fair is also traditional. The country has shown great industrial growth and is a large buyer of raw materials, machinery, and equipment, among others," explained Alaby.
Still in September, from the 22nd to the 26th, there will be an important fair in the furniture sector, Index, in the United Arab Emirates. The fair is considered one of great success for the Brazilian furniture sector. The CCAB has been participating in this event since 1998, increasing the area of its stand every edition. "We started with an area of 25 square metres. Last year we had an area of 450 square metres, and in 2004, we have asked for 600 square metres," explained Mr. Alaby.
In 2003 the Brazilian stand included 46 companies and the Brazilian space was visited by over 2,000 businessmen. "It is a market of great potential. The Arabian gulf alone imported US$ 901 million dollars in Brazilian furniture in 2003," he commemorates.
Participation at Index is organized together with the Brazilian Furniture Industry Association (Abimóvel) and the Rio Grande do Sul State (southern Brazil) Support Service to the Small Business (Sebrae/RS).
Big 5 Show ends CCAB participation in international fairs in 2004. The largest fair in the construction sector in the Middle East, Big 5 takes place from November 20 to 24 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. According to Mr. Alaby, the organization participated sporadically in this fair up to 1999 and "returned with total force in 2003," when 15 companies from the infrastructure, finishing material, and engineering services were present. Brazilian businesses made approximately 700 contacts.
According to Alaby, the potential is due to various hotel and resort construction projects in the region. "There is a latent demand. The forecast is that up to 2014 investment will total over US$ 10 billion, not counting the reconstruction of Iraq," he completed.
Contact
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce Marketing Department
Telephone: (+5511) 3283 4066
E-mail: marketing@ccab.org.br
