Khartoum – The General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries is promoting on Monday (20) and Tuesday (21), in Khartoum, Sudan, a conference on investments in food security in the Middle East and North Africa. The General Union is the private arm of the League of Arab States and brings together not only business organisations from the region, but from all over the world, as is the case with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
One of the main topics for discussion at the meeting is expanding private sector participation in this investment. The issue of food security is critical in the Arab world. With a growing population and little arable land, the region is highly dependent on imports for supply, which leaves it vulnerable to price and food supply fluctuations on the international market.
A few years ago, Arab governments and businessmen started investing in agriculture and livestock abroad, to ensure the supply of their populations. The Gulf countries, mostly covered in deserts, but rich in oil and financial resources, are leaders in this strategy. Africa, as it is nearby and has much land available, among other factors, is the region most sought for this purpose.
In this context, Sudan presents itself as a great alternative to Arab investment in agriculture. Cut by the White and Blue Nile, which, near the country’s capital, come together to form the famous River Nile, the country has large tracts of fertile land, but needs funding and international cooperation to modernize and expand its production.
Attracting this investment has become even more important to Sudan after the country split into Sudan and South Sudan, in July 2011. As much of the proven oil reserves are in the South, the government of North has defined promotion of agriculture as a strategy to try to partly compensate the loss in revenues from the commodity.
Given this scenario, several organizations and local businesses are strongly supporting the conference, among them the Federation of Sudanese Businessmen and Employers, the Union of Banks of Sudan, Kenana Sugar Company, which operates in the sugar and alcohol sector, and international institutions like the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment of Bahrain.
The panels in the auditorium of Al Salam Rotana Hotel will be attended by ministers, representatives of business organisations and public agencies, businesses, banks and research centres in several Arab countries. Among the topics to be covered are presentation of Sudan as a hub for attracting agricultural investment, pioneering experiences of Arab countries in the area, the obstacles to ensure food security in the region, financing needs, the modernization of the agricultural sector and the food industry.
Brazil
From Brazil, the director-general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby, will be at the meetings. "It is an event organized by the General Union and the idea is to present Sudan as an alternative for the production of grain and protein. As Brazil has very strong connections with Africa, there may be interest in agricultural-technical cooperation," he said.
Alaby attended a similar conference in November 2011, also in Khartoum, covered by ANBA, and, in Sao Paulo, he regularly meets businessmen and representatives of the Sudanese government interested in partnerships with Brazil in the area. Some of these partnerships have come true, as today there are Brazilians planting grain and cotton in the African country and working in the area of irrigation. Brazilian companies also export agricultural machinery and equipment to Sudan, as well as products such as sugar and chicken.
*Translated by Mark Ament
