São Paulo – The Brazilian minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Fernando Pimentel, will go to Qatar next weekend, according to information disclosed this Tuesday (29th) by the ministry. Meetings have been scheduled with the Qatari emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and prime minister Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, according to the ministry.
Pimentel will make a stop in the Middle East while returning from a trip to Japan, where he is at this time, and to South Korea. The main goal of the mission, according to the ministry, is attracting investment into Brazil. The minister has a scheduled interview with the Al Jazeera TV network in Doha, the Qatari capital, where the network is headquartered.
In February, the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade organized a business mission to the Middle East, and part of the delegation went to Qatar, but the minister himself only went to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In 2010, his predecessor, Miguel Jorge, travelled to the country heading a group of businessmen, a few months after an official visit of the then-president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which followed emir Al Thani’s visit to Brazil.
Though small, Qatar is one of the countries that grow the most in the world, and right now it ranks among the strongest Arab economies, alongside Saudi Arabia. A country rich in hydrocarbons, especially natural gas, Qatar has a sovereign fund that invests around the world, including Brazil.
Qatar is one of two Arab countries with direct flights to and from Brazil. The other one is the Emirates. Qatar Airways flies from Doha to São Paulo on a daily basis.
According to ministry figures, Brazilian exports to Qatar amounted to US$ 337 million last year, up 14% from 2010. The main items shipped were iron ore, calcined alumina, poultry, beef, heavy construction machinery, ammunition and coffee.
On the other hand, Brazilian imports of Qatari products stood at US$ 238.5 million, up 8.5% from 2010. The main products were liquefied natural gas (LNG), polyethylene, urea, naphtha and sulphur.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
