São Paulo – The ambassador of Bahrain to Brasília, Bader Alhelaibi, visited Santa Catarina last Friday (6) and met with businesspeople of the Southern state. The Federation of Business Associations of Santa Catarina (FACISC) hosted an event with businesspeople, leaders and the Arab diplomat. The meeting aimed at strengthening trade ties between the Gulf country and the state of Santa Catarina and discuss business opportunities.
Alhelaibi (pictured above, L) was welcomed by the federation’s chair Sérgio Rodrigues Alves (R) and congresswoman Caroline De Toni. The meeting featured businesspeople that represent different regions of the state. Alves said that Santa Catarina stands out as an option for foreign investments and told the ambassador that the state is Brazil’s largest producer of garlic, onion, apples and oysters, among other products, and that it was chosen eleven times in a row as the country’s best tourist destination. “Our diversification is our greatest asset,” he said.
The ambassador said that he wants to deepen ties with Brazil and emphasized the importance of the meeting to strengthen the economic, commercial and investment partnership between the two friendly countries, building upon the positive results of the visit of Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro to Manama last November to open the Brazilian embassy in the country. This was the first time ever a Brazilian president visited Bahrain.
Santa Catarina is the Brazilian state that imports the most aluminum from Bahrain. The ambassador said that a good partnership between the state and the country could be an investment in infrastructure. He suggested that a delegation from Brazil visits Bahrain.
The event featured other authorities like the honorary consul of Indonesia and leaders of business associations of Blumenau, São Bento do Sul, Pinhalzinho, Itajaí, Imbituba, Brusque, Joinville, Dionísio Cerqueira and Chapecó.
During the event, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) presented economic figures. The federation’s Infrastructure director Antonio Guimarães Neto made a presentation on the investment opportunities in infrastructure in the state. Aurora Coop Foreign Market director Dilvo Casagrande talked about exports to the country.
Syndicate and Organization of Cooperatives of the State of Santa Catarina (OCESC) technical director José Almery Padilha talked about fruits and cereals and Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Regional director for the Middle and North Africa (MENA) Bader Ali brough information on investment opportunities in Bahrain. The secretary for International Affairs of Santa Catarina, Fernando Raupp, said that business opportunities with Bahrain are important for the state.
Congresswoman Caroline De Toni served as a bridge to holding the event and said that she believes in Santa Catarina’s vocation in foreign trade. “Brazil has opened doors in agribusiness in recent years for 200 countries,” she stressed, emphasizing one of the main businesses of Santa Catarina.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
