Isaura Daniel, special envoy*
Brasilia – Three Arab leaders landed this Sunday (08) at the federal capital of Brazil for the meeting of South American and Arab heads of state that starts on Tuesday at the Blue Tree Hotel. The Syrian prime minister, Mohammad Naji Otri, the Lebanese prime minister, Mohammad Najid Mikati, and the Saudi prince and minister of Foreign Relations, Saud Al Faisal, arrive today at the city. Yesterday one of the first Arab officials arrived at the city, the president of the League of Arab States, Amr Mussa.
The leaders will meet the group of advisors and employees of the Arab governments that have already been circulating in the Brazilian capital preparing for the arrival of the delegations. The participating countries will bring, as well as diplomats and ministers, also businessmen who will participate at the Business Meeting that starts tomorrow (09) at the Ulysses Guimarães Conventions Centre. Yesterday, at the lobby of the Blue Tree Hotel teams such as of the League of Arab Nations, with 14 people, and of the Algerian government, with about 10 members, were already circulating. The Algerians have already been in the city for about three days.
The 22 Arab and 12 South American countries will be represented at the summit. According to information from Agência Brasil, the government’s official news agency, there will be, amongst the Arabs, heads of state from Algeria, Djibouti, Iraq and Palestine. Lebanon, Mauritania and Syria will send their prime ministers. The Syrian and Lebanese prime ministers and the president of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, will have meetings with president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva even before the summit begins, on Monday. The presidents of Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia and Uruguay have confirmed their presence for South America.
According to the director of the Trade Promotion Department at the Itamaraty (the Brazilian Foreign Office), Mario Vilalva, the presence of the two regions’ leaders are within the government expectations. Participating also in the activities parallel to the summit are about 800 businessmen, of whom 200 are Arabs, 400 are Brazilians and 200 from the remaining South American countries.
According to information from the employees at the Arab League who already are in Brasilia, the Arab world is feeling optimistic with the meeting. According to them, in Egypt, where the headquarters of the League is located, president Lula’s initiative in promoting the summit was very well seen. They stated that they expect economic and also cultural results from the meeting.
Investments
The Business Meeting is also causing a stir at the federal capital. At the Ulysses Guimarães Conventions Centre, some stands of the Investments Fair, such as Egypt, Chile and Guyana, were already ready yesterday by the end of the afternoon.
In the Egyptian and Guyanese stands were signs showing the tourist attractions in the region. Chile decorated the space with an economic appeal, calling attention to the country as a potential destination for investments.
The Arab League and the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB) are the two entities, apart from the countries’ governments which will have a space at the fair. The CCAB will have two foreign trade professionals to help Arab and South American businessmen, interested in exporting, importing or investing in the two regions. They will also distribute folders about the entity’s and the Brazil Arab News Agency (ANBA) work, and showing numbers in respect of the trade relations.
Even though all countries were invited to participate at the fair, not all of them will have stands. The nations that will use the space offered are Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Sudan, Uruguay, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Guyana, Chile, Lebanon, Peru, Colombia, Syria, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
*Translated by Silvia Lindsey
