Dubai – Bilateral relations between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates have been strengthening over the past few years, and this strategic partnership has overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in all sectors, said government authorities who spoke at the opening of the Brazil – UAE Amazon Economic Sustainability Forum, which occurred this Sunday (3), in Dubai. Brazilian vice president Hamilton Mourão was the guest of honor at the event.
In addition to Mourão, the minister of Economy of the UAE, Abdulla Bin Touq Al-Marri; the Minister of Climate Change and the Environment of the UAE, Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri; the president of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), Abdullah Mohamed Al Mazrouei; the board member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hisham Alshirawi; the Brazilian minister of Tourism, Gilson Machado Neto, and the Brazilian ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Fernando Igreja, participated in the event.
The minister of Economy of the UAE, Abdulla Bin Touq Al-Marri, stated Brazil and the UAE have significantly strengthened their ties in recent years in many sectors, thanks to the joint commitment of the leaders of the two friendly countries, even facing COVID-19. “This event is of great significance for us, considering the importance the UAE give to the development of trade, economy, and food security with Brazil, the greatest economy in Latin America.” He invited Brazilian business people to learn about the nation’s facilities and establish their business in the UAE. He said the country is interested in exploring new opportunities in sustainability, especially regarding food security and agritech.
“Relations between Brazil and the UAE are deep and long-lasting,” said the minister of Climate Change and the Environment of the UAE, Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri. She stated the partnership among the countries was strengthened over the years through bilateral exchanges between governments, the most recent being the visit of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 when he discussed the signing of new trade agreements and reiterated the importance of the UAE to the Brazilian economy.
The minister remarked trade between the two countries totaled USD 2.8 billion last year, and the UAE were the leading destination for Brazilian exports among the Arab countries and the fourth most significant for Brazilian imports.
Food and agricultural products are the primary goods traded in this exchange, according to Al Mheiri. “This is of great interest to me because, as I was recently appointed minister for Climate Change and the Environment, my position includes managing the Ministry of Food Safety. Brazilian agribusiness and the food and beverage sector are key priorities in trade relations with the UAE. Still, there is a great potential to be explored, especially in agriculture and agricultural technology (or agritech),” she said.
The president of the FCCI, Abdullah Mohamed Al Mazrouei, said authorities in both countries have been working continuously to increase partnerships with investment funds for crucial sectors such as agriculture, food security, infrastructure, transport, energy, defense, innovation, and technology, which he said are essential to the people of the two nations. “We see great potential in this forum that brings together business people, investors, and authorities in one event,” he said.
“This is a significant moment in our bilateral relations,” said the ambassador of Brazil to Abu Dhabi, Fernando Igreja. The diplomat stated that during the pandemic, the strategic partnership established in 2019 between Brazil and the UAE was challenged, as well as with the rest of the world. “I believe we overcame this challenge because we maintained our relations, our communication, in all sectors throughout this time,” he said. For him, the presence of vice president Mourão at Expo 2020 Dubai is the result of this partnership and friendship and shows the importance Brazil gives to the event. He mentioned several missions with Brazilian government authorities, such as ministers and governors would visit the Expo over the coming months.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry board member, Hisham Alshirawi, stated the UAE had aligned their policies with sustainable development, which influences doing business and planning for the future. He also said the Expo is one of the most significant events globally, with sustainable energy sources in its pavilions. “Brazilian companies can offer their valuable expertise in sustainability, while Dubai can provide the right competitive advantages and business-friendly environment to help them thrive and grow,” said Alshirawi.
The Brazilian minister of Tourism, Gilson Machado, said Brazil is one of the few countries that still keep untouched land in the world. “In the Amazon, we have one of the greatest tourism opportunities in the world, with preserved forests and indigenous lands,” he said. He stated Brazil is ready to receive tourists and invited those at the event to visit Brazil. The minister said there are business opportunities in the air sector for domestic flights. According to Machado, it is no longer necessary to have a Brazilian partner for a foreign company to establish an airline in the country.
Hamilton Mourão
The Brazilian vice president was the forum’s guest of honor and gave the last opening speech. He said the public and private sectors are working together to forge a more sustainable, inclusive, and productive economy for both countries.
He also mentioned Brazil’s relationship with the UAE has been strengthening quickly, and the countries are working together to diversify their economies. Mourão stated it is not possible to achieve long-term goals without environmental preservation, and the Amazon is a treasure that must be protected. As president of the National Council for the Legal Amazon, he stated his priority is the fight against deforestation. The vice president also said there is a great potential to be explored in the Amazon region in the fields of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food products. He stated the relationship between the countries is resilient and was barely affected by the pandemic. Mourão said more bilateral agreements are to come.
At a press conference, he reaffirmed the Brazilian government had signed a strategic partnership with the UAE during president Jair Bolsonaro’s visit in 2019. “Here, we had the opportunity to talk to several investors and business people, all extremely interested in a mutual trade, not only investing there but also here, and there is complementarity in the efforts of both countries,” he declared.
Arab Brazilian Chamber
Ambassador Osmar Chohfi, president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), said the presence of vice president Mourão and other high-ranking officials of the Brazilian government in the UAE shows how relevant the Arab country is, in addition to being a message about the desire of the two nations to build together a sustainable development model through bilateral initiatives.
The forum, according to him, was an event to present less explored current and future opportunities in Brazil and the Amazon region in the sustainability sector, an essential pillar of economic diversification policies in the Arab countries, as well as the new paradigms emerging as a result of environmental and social challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The ABCC continues its mission of connecting Arabs and Brazilians and has always been concerned with increasing its commitment to sustainability,” said Chohfi. He reported on recent upgrades at the entity, such as aligning all its activities with ESG principles of environmental, social, and corporate governance. “Another initiative was the ABCC Lab, an innovation ecosystem for Brazilian and Arab startups to seek solutions of interest for both regions. The Ellos business platform and the Easy Trade blockchain model are also part of these efforts, ensuring agility, security, and traceability of processes and documents through digital means,” he said.
The UAE have been developing high standards in digitalization and sustainability for years. Within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), they are one of the most advanced countries in its transition to the post-oil era, investing in economic diversification, innovation, and sustainability, with investments in renewable energies, mainly solar and wind.
“Brazil, with its biodiversity unparalleled in the world, can play a vital role in the future of the green economy. With some of the richest and most diversified biomes in the world, the country is also a leader in biotechnological research,” informed Chohfi.
The forum was organized by the ABCC in partnership with the Ministry of Economy of the UAE, the FCCI, the Brazilian Embassy in the UAE, and the Dubai Chamber. It took place at the Conrad Hotel, in Dubai, in parallel with Expo 2020, which started on Friday (1) in the emirate. About 380 people attended the event on-site, and nearly 200 watched it online.
Read more on the Brazil – UAE Amazon Economic Sustainability Forum:
- Brazil, UAE could grow together through innovation
- Sharjah seeks investments in green technology
- JBS Fund for Amazon plans on raising BRL 1 billion by 2030
- Economic development linked with sustainability a challenge
Watch the full event on YouTube:
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
