São Paulo – Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce chairman Salim Taufic Schahin said today, during a luncheon with journalists, that the organisation is working on attracting Arab investors to Brazil. “We want to bring investment to the infrastructure area here,” he said.
Schahin pointed out that the field of construction is living a “boom” in the country and that the national economy is following a route of sustained growth. “The demand for engineers in Brazil is currently extraordinary,” said Schahin, who is an engineer and a partner in a construction company.
He added that he is organizing a meeting between the president at the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), Luciano Coutinho, and ambassadors of Arab countries to Brazilian capital Brasília, with the objective of speaking about investment opportunities in Brazil.
Schahin pointed out that Brazil recovered rapidly from the international financial crisis and the Arab nations, in general, were little affected by it, which makes it possible to seek greater economic ties.
He also mentioned the great volume of infrastructure works in the Arab world, many with the participation of Brazilian companies like Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez and Queiroz Galvão. “The export of services has been rising very much,” he said.
In the commercial area, for example, Schahin believes that the year should end with a reduction of around 4% in Brazilian exports to the region, after several years of uninterrupted growth.
He pointed out, however, that sales of the Arab world to Brazil dropped significantly due to the reduction in demand and to the price of oil, which should result in a great surplus on the Brazilian side in the trade balance.
The Marketing vice president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rubens Hannun, added that Brazil is starting to be seen in the Arab world as a supplier of greater value-added and quality products, not just as an exporter of commodities. “We notice that at the fairs and missions in which we participate,” he added.
Hannun said that the Chamber and many Brazilian companies have been working in the region continuously, and the Arabs greatly appreciate that.
Schahin also spoke about the organisation, including the creation of two committees turned to culture and tourism, whose function is promotion of initiatives in these areas. He has special interest in expanding the bilateral flow of tourists and cultural exchange, including the establishment of an Arab Culture house in São Paulo.
Schahin also said that, for 2010, the Chamber is preparing the promotion of at least two seminars on Brazil in the Arab world. The organisation will participate, as every year, in a broad calendar of fairs and trade delegations, yet to be disclosed.
*Translated by Mark Ament
