Damascus – Arab countries have significant stands at the 61st Damascus International Fair, which opened to the public this Thursday (29). From Oman, for one, there are ceramic, plastics, food, steel, marble, aluminum, transformers, precast, pipes and fittings, and real estate companies, as well as the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The fair is multi-industry.
OmanTech Advanced Piping Systems is showcasing polypropylene and polyethylene pipes and fittings which, according to Marketing manager Mehyar Nageeb, are environment-friendly and keep the water clean.
The company has been to past editions of the show but doesn’t sell to Syria yet. It currently ships product to Iraq, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia. “Lots of people are asking questions about the products, and we hope to find a partner,” Nageeb told ANBA.
This was just the first day of the Fair, and companies foresee an increase in the number of inquiries going forward. The event ends on September 6.
UAE lubricants company Oscar ships product to 38 countries and is looking to break into the Syrian market. “We want to find an importer, agent or distributor to distribute our products here,” said general manager Loutfi El Sayed.
He believes Syria’s a promising market. “It’s a consumer good (lubricant oil). Wherever there’s cars, there needs to be oil,” he argued. And there are lots of cars in Syria. Sayed spoke with four “serious potential clients, which he believes is reasonable for a first day, although he expects an improvement from day two onwards.
Sayed has been attempting to export to Brazil, but he finds the 20% import tax too steep.
Apart from lubricants, the UAE stand features cement, concrete, construction, coffee, sanitaryware, cosmetics, and real estate companies, plus the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Brazil
The Oman and UAE stands are in Pavilion 10, as is Brazil’s, organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Brazil to Damascus.
Arab Chamber events coordinator Tâmara Machado said at least five visitors were quite interested in marble and granite from exhibiting company Imetame. She also said she got in touch with about 15 people who were either interested in items like coffee, ores, and stones, or in getting information on Brazil. The stand was also visited by the Brazilian business owner Carlos Haddad.
The Fair opens daily at noon for businesspersons, and at 5 pm for the general public, at which point it becomes a leisure area for young people and families, with amusement rides, a food court, music, and other attractions.
*ANBA is reporting from Damascus at the invitation of Syria’s Ministry of Tourism. Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
