São Paulo – Visitors at the International Fair of Khartoum have shown interest in opportunities in Brazil at the stand of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, the country’s embassy in Sudan and Fambras Halal – the halal certification body of the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil. Main interests have been food and agricultural machinery industry. The show started on the 20th and runs until the 27th. The Arab Chamber’s stand (pictured above) has received around 40 people a day, reported Institutional Relations manager Fernanda Baltazar, who’s attending the event.
“People coming to our stand are more curious, asking about Brazil and the Brazilian market, than interested in actually doing business. In 2018 (the last time the Arab Chamber was at the show), there were more businesspeople, while this year has seen a very large number of visitors, but they are mostly curious because of the situation the country finds itself now. Within the current context, it’s important that the Arab Chamber is here, as Sudan has always been a partner country. With the dollar hike, the decrease in the purchasing power, and alternation in power, the businesspeople are reconsidering some points,” Baltazar told ANBA by phone.
Ambassador Patrícia Maria Oliveira Lima (2nd from the R) visited the stand
In parallel to the event, Baltazar attended meetings with the Sudanese Businessmen and Employers Federation; with the undersecretary of the country’s Ministry of Industry and trade, Mohamed Ali Abdalla; the president of agricultural machinery company CTC Group; and National Investment Authority.
“In the federation, we talked about the possibility of investment in infrastructure, buses – they mentioned Brazilian company Marcopolo – overall public transport, and fuels and renewable energy. I talked to Unica (Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association) and organizations such as Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) to develop potential partnerships and knowledge exchange, which are critical to Sudan’s development,” Baltazar said.
The meeting at CTC Group, a Sudan-based agricultural machinery company that operates in Brazil, was with its president. “We visited the new factory and they’ve stressed the importance of the Brazilian market and new partnerships,” she said.
Baltazar was welcomed at Sudan’s National Investment Authority too. “They talked about the important moment Sudan has gone through, its government restructuration and the need to invest in different sectors such as infrastructure, agribusiness and energy. People here are optimist with the new government and expect a growth and development for all, a change for the better in the country, and Brazil could be an important partner,” she reported. Fambras Halal president Mohamed El Zoghbi attended the meetings too.
Baltazar invited authorities and businesspeople she met with to participate in Brazil-Arab Countries Economic Forum, an Arab Chamber event to run next April in São Paulo. “I invited the Federation board members to the Forum. They are interested in participating and talked about a potential creation of a Brazil-Sudan business council from the event. CTC Industry vice-minister and chairman were also excited and showed interest in attending,” the executive said.
The executive said yet that Sudanese think highly of Brazil and sees a high business potential in the country. “Sudan is a country trying to move forward, develop, which is great,” she finished.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
