São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce promoted on Thursday night (29), at Mount Lebanon Athletic Club, in São Paulo, a party celebrating its 60th anniversary. The organisation, according to president Salim Taufic Schahin, reaches this anniversary prepared for the current challenges and eyeing the future.
“We are currently more prepared and active in the prospection of new business,” said Schahin in his address. “More so at this moment of political, economic and social change,” he added, referring to the international economic crisis and to the changes caused by the Arab Spring in the Middle East and North Africa.
At the ceremony, former presidents Jamil Saliba, Sylvio Wagih Abdallah, Walid Yazigi, Orlando Sarhan, Antonio Sarkis Jr. and the former president of the organisation’s board of administrators, Willian Adib Dib, were honoured.
In the name of the Arab diplomats who operate in Brazil, the ambassador of Palestine to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzeben, said that men and women working to bring the country close to the Arab nations “are disciples of the inventors of trade”, in reference to the generations of Arab immigrants and their descendants who established and manage the organisation. “The Council [of Arab Ambassadors] renews its availability to collaborate with the institution and improve these conditions every day,” he said.
As the representative of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries, the Lebanese Edmond Jereissati added that, over the last 60 years, the Arab Brazilian Chamber has been “a great bridge for closer ties” between Brazil and the Middle East and North Africa.
On speaking in the name of those honoured yesterday evening, Sylvio Abdallah said: “It is we who should be thankful for the opportunity of, each at his own time, having worked for the Arab Brazilian Chamber.”
Schahin added that the Chamber “symbolises the brotherhood between Arabs and Brazilians “ and pointed out the work of his predecessors for the organisation to reach the important it currently has. He added that the organisation had to reinvent itself several times throughout its history so as to face the challenges in Brazil and abroad.
As examples, the executive mentioned the first oil shock, in 1973, which rapidly increased the trade deficit between Brazil and the Arab countries, obliging the Chamber to make additional effort to explore the import potential of the nations of the Middle East and North Africa and, thus, foster greater Brazilian exports of industrial goods and engineering services.
The situation is currently different and the trade balance presents a surplus for Brazil, which places new challenges. “The tendency is for [Brazilian] exports to become greater and greater and for imports of hydrocarbons to drop, resulting in a surplus,” he said. “We want trade to continue growing, so we will work to expand exports of [other] Arab products to Brazil,” he added.
According to him, the Arab Brazilian Chamber has promoted a series of structural changes in recent years to face the challenges and make use of opportunities. To Schahin, there are two great axes to be explored in relations between Brazil and the Arabs: food and energy safety, in which both sides are complementary. The president added that “future boards [at the organisation] will know how to explore the existing potential.” The executive is concluding his second term at the helm.
Palestine
Schahin also pointed out the “happy coincidence” of the celebration also taking place on the day in which the United Nations (UN) General Assembly recognized Palestine as a UN observer state. “This expressive vote generates great joy,” he said, to applause. Elevation of the status was approved by 138 votes for, nine against and 41 abstentions.
Alzeben stated that the “Palestinian flag is already at the heart of the UN”. “I dedicate this victory to our brothers and friends world over. All of you here, this evening, have our gratitude. Each one of you has done something for Palestine,” said the dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil, to applause.
The guests crowded the Mount Lebanon party hall for the dinner. A video was presented showing the history of the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the evening was ended with a show by the band of musician Sami Bordokan, accompanied by dancers.
*Translated by Mark Ament
