Alexandre Rocha*
São Paulo – Brazil is going to open an embassy in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. According to information supplied by the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty), this should take place in the first half of this year. In coming months, representatives from the Brazilian foreign office are going to visit the African country to discuss details. The establishment of a diplomatic office was authorised in a decree passed in November last year, signed by Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The installation of the Brazilian embassy is going to take place two years after Sudan opened its embassy in Brazil, headed by ambassador Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman, who has become a constant promoter of relations between both countries. Brazilian exports to Sudan rose from US$ 7.9 million in 2003 to US$ 48.9 million in 2004 and US$ 69.3 million last year.
The strengthening of trade relations also resulted in the first Brazilian participation in Khartoum International Fair, which is going on up to February 10, with a stand organised by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, a fact that was in the local press.
Newspaper Sudan Vision, on of the main papers in English in the country, published an article on Sunday (05) in which it stated that the objective of the Brazilians is to learn more about the Sudanese market. Yesterday (07), the Chamber stand was also news on Radio Omdurman, one of the most important in Sudan, which interviewed the Brazilian honorary consul to Khartoum, Mustafá Abbadi.
"I said that this was the first Brazilian participation in the fair and that I was very happy for this. There are many similarities between both countries and there is good potential for expansion of trade relations, especially after the discovery of oil in Sudan and after the peace treaty regarding the Darfur region," said Abbadi to ANBA by telephone. He placed himself at the disposal of Brazilian businessmen interested in learning more about his country (see contact information below).
Investment
The country currently produces around 500,000 barrels of oil per day, but the intention is to reach 2 million barrels per day up to 2008. With the funds from oil, which is appreciated on the international market, Sudan wants to make investment in various sectors.
According to information collected by the operations coordinator at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rodrigo Solano, from the Ministry of Investment of Sudan, the country, which up to date had agriculture as its main source of income, wants to develop the food, glass, construction material, textile and mining industries, as well as working on infrastructure projects like airports, ports and electric energy supply. Solano is participating in Khartoum international fair.
For this reason, Sudan is seeking foreign partners who have know-how in these and other sectors, including agriculture and livestock. The country wants, for example, to increase the mechanisation of crops, to modernize fishing techniques and to improve veterinary services.
Some companies have already identified the potential of the market, as is the case with Plasvale, a maker of plastic utensils, and Tirolez, in the dairy sector, which used the Chamber stand at the fair. "They need all kinds of material for construction projects and infrastructure. They also need equipment for the conservation of food, like cold storage chambers and cold transport lorries and there is market for dry food, like powdered milk, coffee and sugar," stated Ali Saif, from Brazilian trading company Al Taiba, which is also participating in the fair.
Contact
Mustafá Abbadi
Honorary Brazilian Consul in Khartoum
Tel: (+249 1) 8377-5638
*Translated by Mark Ament
