São Paulo – Up until November 23rd, the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil) is accepting entries from Brazil-based companies interested in taking part in a business mission to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in February next year. The goal is to get Brazilian companies acquainted with the markets of the two countries, and to get them in touch with Saudi and Emirati importers. The Brazilians will engage in business matchmaking rounds in Jeddah and Dubai.
According to the coordinator of the Apex Image and Market Access Unit, Ricardo Santana, the mission is mostly focused on food and beverages, construction, machinery, equipment and auto parts, but companies in other industries may also participate. The idea is to have a group of 20 to 30 companies, being at least four or five in each area, to make the meetings interesting to importers as well.
The mission route includes contacts with local government officials and business matchmaking rounds in the two countries. The delegation will be in Saudi Arabia on February 18th and 19th, and in Dubai on the 20th and 21st. On the first day in Dubai, the businessmen will meet with importers from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Jordan. On the second day, they will meet with buyers from the United Arab Emirates.
The mission was scheduled to start a few days prior to Gulfood, a food industry fair due from February 25th to 28th. Santana suggests for mission members to stay in the country for the fair. Entries to exhibit at the fair’s Brazilian pavilion are closed. Last year, a delegation also travelled before the fair, including the minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Fernando Pimentel. The minister should lead the group in 2013 again.
Before the event, the Apex will hold a preparatory meeting with the companies in Brazil. The meeting, whose date has not been set yet, will be attended by consultants from Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, who will talk about the countries and the mission schedule dynamics. They will also be available to assist Brazilian during the business matchmaking rounds in Jeddah and Dubai. The Apex is responsible for mission logistics, and all businessmen will have to meet their own lodging, travelling, and local spending.
Santana claims Saudi Arabia and the Emirates have strong potential, and the participating companies agree. Proof of that is the fact that Brazilian demand to participate in fairs in the region is growing. Another sign that relations with Arab countries are progressing, according to the coordinator, is increased visitation of Arab businessmen to Brazil. Saudi Arabia and the Emirates rank among the leading markets for Brazil in the Arab world. The Saudis imported the equivalent of US$ 2.1 billion from January to September this year, and the Emirates imported US$ 1.7 billion. These countries were respectively the first and third top exporters from the region to Brazil.
The February 2013 mission is promoted by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Industry (CNI). The Apex president Mauricio Borges will integrate the delegation.
Service:
Mission to the Emirates and Saudi Arabia
February 18 to 21, 2013
Registration and information:
http://www.apexbrasil.com.br/portal/publicacao/engine.wsp?tmp.area=500&tmp.evento=1386&tmp.areapai=425
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
