Agência Brasil*
Brasília – A visit by Brazilian businessmen to five African countries started in Cairo today (17). The visit includes businessmen in sectors like leather shoe components, shoes and artefacts. Representatives from 20 companies are scheduled to visit Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa and Kenya – countries that concentrate the largest share of shoe production in the whole of Africa, with around 150 million pairs of shoes a year.
The trade mission, coordinated by the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex) and the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Producers of Leather Components, Shoes and Artefacts, also intends to advertise Brazilian products to buyers in Ethiopia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, the Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Sudan and Algeria. The forecast is that 400 contacts should be made, which may generate US$ 1.2 million in deals over the next 12 months. This volume represents an increase of 10% in the participation of these countries in the Brazilian trade balance in the sector.
During the mission, the Brazilians will participate in fairs and visits to sector organizations. They will also be encumbered of identifying the best sites for the implementation of distribution centres that may increase the entry of Brazilian products in those countries. The visitors will stay in Egypt up to the 21st. They will be in Nigeria from the 23rd to the 25th, in Tunisia on the 26th to the 27th and in South Africa on the 28th and 29th. The mission will end on December 3rd in Kenya, where they will participate in the Nairobi International Leather and Footwear Expo.
*Translated by Mark Ament
