São Paulo – Arab diplomats and private sector entity representatives discussed taking their countries’ relations with Brazil to a whole new level on Tuesday (5) at the headquarters of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP). In São Paulo for the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries, the Arab delegation was welcomed by FIESP president and businessman Josué Gomes da Silva.
Union of Arab Chambers secretary-general Khaled Hanafy asked FIESP for cooperation so that Brazil-Arab relations can move towards a strategic alliance that goes beyond trade. Suggestions included establishing Brazilian areas within Arab-based industrial zones, trading higher value-added products, and transfer of expertise.
In an interview with ANBA after the meeting, FIESP superintendent Antônio Carlos Costa said there is already a long-standing cooperation tradition with the Arab countries and that the challenge is now making this relation more close-knit and permanent so that it can actually thrive and move towards a higher value-added trade. They talked about creating a group for taking this relation to a new level of possibility.
“We already have a great relationship in agribusiness, but we feel that we could go further both in terms of technology exchange, as it was said, and more technological converting industry trade,” Costa said. The group to be created would aim to address the issues raised in the meeting such as added value, investments, partnerships, and training.
In addition to Arab leaders and diplomats, like the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil dean and Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Alzeben and Arab League assistant secretary-general Hossam Zaki, the meeting was attended by Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) president Osmar Chohfi and secretary-general Tamer Mansour, Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil (FAMBRAS) president Mohammed Zoghbi and vice president Ali Zoghbi, and other authorities, diplomats and businesspeople involved in Brazil-Arab relations.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
