São Paulo – The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. He will board this Friday (12) on a trip with the goals of attracting investment to Brazil, exchanging views with some of the most prominent Arab leaders on the post-pandemic world and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), in which Brazil and the UAE will take seats as non-permanent members in January.
This Wednesday (10), the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the information at a press conference. According to Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nóbrega, secretary for Bilateral Negotiations in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa of the Ministry, Bolsonaro’s visit to the Gulf countries is part of a foreign policy vector he attributed to the Arabs and the countries of the Gulf as of first-rate importance.
Nóbrega said in addition to being a prime destination for Brazilian agribusiness products; the region offers opportunities for the country’s defense, has significant sovereign funds, has already shown interest in investing in infrastructure works in Brazil, and is seeking to diversify its economy by investing in science, technology, and innovation, areas in which a bilateral dialogue already exists.
“This visit will provide an opportunity for exchange at the highest level to take place on impressions about this post-pandemic world, the geopolitical framework, and prospects for the economic upturn,” he said. He also recalled Middle East issues are very present in the UNSC. “The exchange of views at the highest level with these countries will greatly contribute to Brazil weighing up its political discourse and its positions in the UNSC from January onwards,” said Nóbrega.
Also spoke to the press about the trip the head of the cabinet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Achilles Emilio Zaluar Neto; the director of the Middle East Department, Sidney Romero; and the president of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), Augusto Pestana. They said it would take place in the context of Expo 2020 Dubai, a universal exhibition in which Brazil participates with a pavilion. A series of agreements could be signed during Bolsonaro’s passage to the Gulf, the Brazilian Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, will be opened, and the Brazil-UAE Business Council will be launched.
Bolsonaro will have an official agenda in the UAE starting on Sunday (14). Among other activities, the schedule will include a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; a meeting with the Emir of Dubai, Vice President, and Prime Minister of the UAE, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; a visit to Expo 2020 Dubai; and participation in a seminar organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Apex-Brasil and the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI), with support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).
On November 16, the president will head to Bahrain to meet with the country’s king, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and open the Brazilian embassy in Manama. On the 17, the Brazilian president’s activities will be in Qatar, where he will be received by the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and visit the Lusail Stadium, where the 2022 World Cup final match will take place. Diplomats told the press Bolsonaro would not go to Iraq and Kuwait, as had been envisaged.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
