Isaura Daniel, special envoy*
isaura.daniel@anba.com.br
Dubai – The president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Antonio Sarkis Jr., said yesterday (28th), during a dinner offered by the organisation in Dubai, that the flow of trade between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates should reach US$ 2 billion. Until October, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at US$ 1.3 billion. In the whole of last year, the figure was US$ 1.4 billion.
To those in attendance, he asserted that reciprocal visits by businessmen from the two countries have encouraged the increase in volume of trade. Approximately 200 people were present in the restaurant of the Jumeirah Beach hotel, including Brazilian executives who are participating in the Big 5 Show – a trade fair for the construction industry -, members of the trade mission promoted by the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and Arab businessmen.
“Many are the opportunities and possibilities for integration between the two countries,” stated Sarkis. He gave thanks for the way in which the Arabs from the United Arab Emirates are welcoming the Brazilians who are visiting the country. Both the Big 5 Show and the mission’s activities will end today (29th).
The Brazilian ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Flavio Sapha, said that he is glad to see so many businessmen from Brazil in the Emirates. He also stated that the number of Brazilians that come to the Emirates and of people from the country that go to Brazil is on the rise. “Two years ago, when I came here, the two countries barely knew each other,” Sapha claimed.
He also said that relations between Brazil and the Emirates are able to develop without intermediaries from the United States or Europe. Sapha stated that the products that Brazilian businessmen have to offer have good prices, compared with those of Europe and the United States, and that they should take advantage of that.
The diplomat praised the work of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, including its promotion of Arab culture by means of supporting the creation of departments turned to Arab culture in Brazilian universities, and highlighted the publishing of the Arabic-Portuguese Dictionary, by the Foreign Relations vice-president at the organisation, Helmi Nasr.
The reception was attended by local personalities, such as the member of the executive board at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hisham Abdullah Al Shirawi, the business network manager at the same institution, Omar Abdul Aziz Khan, and the president at the Bahri & Mazroei Group, Rashid Al-Mazroei, a local businessman.
The dinner also counted on the presence of representatives of Brazilian sector organisations, such as the Brazilian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers (Anfacer), the Brazilian Association for Dimension Stones Industry (Abirochas) and the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (Fiesc).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
