São Paulo – The moment is of opportunity for Brazilian companies in Saudi Arabia. So said Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) president Osmar Chohfi (pictured above) at the Brazil-Saudi Arabia Conference held by business group Lide on Monday (4) in the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers in Riyadh. The conference is part of the mission that Lide is taking to the region, which started on Sunday (3) and will go next to the United Arab Emirates, ending on Friday (8).
“It is a good moment to expand the economic cooperation between Brazil and Saudi Arabia as Saudi Arabia is living in a moment of great development in the context of the Vision 2030,” he told ANBA. The Vision 2030 is a strategic plan of the Arab country to diversify its economy and boost growth. According to Chohfi, the initiative opens huge windows of opportunities for Brazilian companies to participate in Saudi projects across different areas.
Chohfi also pointed out the series of high-level visits that have occurred between the countries, including the most recent by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Saudi Arabia, strengthening the potential of economic cooperation and trade. The ABCC’s president also spoke of the commercial importance that the countries have for one another, with Brazil providing foods to Saudi Arabia, and Saudis selling their petroleum derivatives and fertilizers to Brazilians. Last year’s bilateral trade reached USD 6.7 billion.
The conference featured representatives of relevant industries in Brazil. Caetano Spuldaro Neto, Embraer Defense and Security’s vice president of sales for the Middle East and Asia, spoke of the company’s plans for the region. Raízen vice president Paulo Neves addressed Brazil’s potential in renewables. Rinaldo Mancin, vice president at Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram), talked about the investment opportunities for both countries in energy and mining.
Amaro Aviation CEO Marcos Amaro talked about the interest in being an aviation platform in Brazil. Abdulmalik Al Qhatan, Lide president in Saudi Arabia, said that energy, mining, logistics and industry are the four sectors that will guide Saudi economy. Brazil’s former Agriculture minister Roberto Rodrigues said that the agribusiness, particularly the Brazilian, is key to solve global problems like food security, energy security, climate change, and social inequality.
ABCC at the mission
Besides speaking at Monday’s conference, on Sunday the ABCC’s president gave the Brazilian businesspeople that are part of the mission an overview on Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. The delegation features Brazil’s former Development, Industry, Trade and Services minister Luiz Fernando Furlan, chairman at Lide, and former São Paulo governor João Doria, co-chairman at Lide. Besides Chohfi, the ABCC is also represented by the head of its office in Dubai, Rafael Solimeo.
Translation by Guilherme Miranda
