São Paulo – Trade between Brazil and Kuwait is still primarily focused on the export of food and commodities from Brazil and oil from Kuwait. However, the visit of a Brazilian delegation to the Arab country between February 2 and 4 aimed to change this. Meetings were held with local authorities and businesspeople, with support from the Embassy of Brazil in Kuwait.
Ambassador Rodrigo Gabsch told ANBA this mission to Kuwait was first proposed by the Vice-President of International Relations and Secretary-General of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), Mohamad Mourad, in October of last year. He emphasized that the mission “fulfilled its purpose” of promoting Brazilian products in Kuwait and showcasing strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy that could attract Kuwaiti investments, such as logistics, infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainability, aviation, and food.
“It is essential to note that Kuwait’s trade policy is guided by a long-term strategy, which is one of its key characteristics,” said Gabsch. The mission included Mourad himself, the head of the ABCC office in Dubai, Rafael Solimeo, and representatives from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), the Brazilian agricultural research agency Embrapa, the São Paulo Investment and Competitiveness Promotion Agency (InvestSP), and Brazilian planemaker Embraer.
Meetings with authorities in Kuwait
“I believe that the goal of promoting the priority sectors of the Brazilian economy to our partners in the emirate was achieved through the intense schedule of visits to local institutions and Kuwaiti public and private companies. I highlight, for example, the visits we made to the Ministries of Commerce, Defense, and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources. Meetings with representatives of Kuwaiti companies were also very important,” said the ambassador.
As part of the schedule, the Brazilian delegation met with the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries (PAAF), the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the Department of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises. From the embassy, the meetings were attended by Ambassador Rodrigo Gabsch, Minister Felix Baes de Faria, Counselor Flávio Dontal, and Assistant Merhie Youssef.
For Mourad, the meetings of the Brazilian delegation in Kuwait were positive. “We strengthened the relationship between the two chambers [the ABCC and the KCCI], which will allow us to hold activities for the second half of the year in Kuwait and Brazil,” he said, already anticipating the holding of trade missions between companies from both countries.
“They’re interested in diversifying trade. They aren’t seeking just chicken meat, of which we’re leading exporters to Kuwait, but also other products such as sugar and live cattle,” he said. The Brazilian delegation also visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, aiming to strengthen the bilateral relationship. Another topic discussed in the meetings was fostering the engagement of small and medium-sized businesses in trade between the two countries.
According to data from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services compiled by the Market Intelligence department of the ABCC, in 2024 Brazil exported USD 400.4 million to Kuwait, marking a 49.4% increase compared to 2023. Imports from Kuwait to Brazil reached USD 580.3 million, representing a 44.9% expansion in the same comparison. Total trade flow (sum of exports and imports) reached USD 980.8 million, up by 46.7%. The balance was negative for Brazil, with a deficit of USD 179.8 million.
The main products exported by Brazil were poultry meat, steel tubes, corn, and beef. The primary products imported from Kuwait were petroleum and sulfur.
Read more:
Kuwait seeks to diversify trade with Brazil
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
