Cairo – The establishment of a logistics area for grains in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) in Egypt was among the topics of a meeting this week between the assistant foreign minister for American Affairs, ambassador Hazem Fahmy, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) secretary-general & CEO, Tamer Mansour, and the regional director of the organization’s regional office in Cairo, Michael Gamal. Pictured above, Mansour (left) and Fahmy (right).
At the meeting, they discussed trade relations between Egypt and Brazil and a future cooperation plan between the two countries. The assistant foreign minister opened the meeting by congratulating the Brazilian people on the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as president, highlighting the confluence between the political leaders of both nations.
Fahmy said Brazil is an important trading partner for Egypt and his country is prepared to supply any amount of fertilizers Brazil may need, especially phosphate and urea-based. He recalled the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a visit with Latin American ambassadors to the Abu Qir Fertilizers Company plant and the ABCC’s regional office in Cairo played a vital role in the mission.
The minister also highlighted the importance of having nonstop flights between Cairo and São Paulo. He stated expectations are for the flight to start operating later this year, and the route would be meaningful for developing commercial, cultural, and tourist exchanges between Egypt and Brazil and facilitating travel between neighboring countries.
He explained the plans for a Brazilian logistics area for grains in Egypt, especially given its location in the SCZONE, have received a positive internal response, although measures for the implementation are yet to be taken. The minister informed the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is fully prepared to cooperate with implementing and establishing the project.
In turn, Mansour congratulated the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the country’s success in hosting the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP27) last November and expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the minister ambassador for the invitation to the ABCC’s regional office in Cairo to participate in the visit of Latin American ambassadors to the Abu Qir Fertilizers Company plant.
Mansour told Brazilian private companies are open to importing Egyptian fertilizers, based on measures brought by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA), contributing to increased fertilizer exports from Egypt to Brazil. The secretary-general also informed the ABCC is a partner of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in opening the Brazilian market to Egyptian fertilizer exports.
Egyptian mission
Mansour reported the ABCC is organizing, in cooperation with the Chemical Industries Export Council of Egypt, a trade mission to Brazil with businesspeople from the chemical and fertilizer sector in June. The Egyptians will meet with Brazilian companies seeking to import fertilizers and visit states in the Amazon region and Mato Grosso, where the demand for imported fertilizers has grown the most. He said efforts would be made with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Egyptian Embassy in Brasília for the mission to have an official character.
The secretary-general of the ABCC commented on the foreseen airline route and stated that, whether it is a nonstop or connecting flight, it would play an essential role for Arab immigrants in Brazil.
As for the Brazilian logistics zone for grains in Egypt, he stated the idea had been proposed for a long time due to the growing demand for grains. He recalled Egypt is the gateway for Brazilian grain exports to Africa and the port of entry to Africa for Brazilian companies in general.
Mansour expressed his desire to establish partnerships between businesspeople from both countries and attract Brazilian investment to Egypt, particularly considering the SCZONE, one of the promising areas for attracting investment. He explained a meeting was held with the SCZONE Authority work team on the sidelines of the climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, and an agreement was signed for the agency’s delegation to visit Brazil soon and promote the Economic Zone in the Brazilian market.
Mansour spoke to the minister about the ABCC’s international offices, which are currently in Cairo and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. According to him, an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be opened soon.
The meeting was also attended by Egypt’s assistant minister of Foreign Affairs for South America, ambassador Ashraf Mounir; director of the assistant minister of Foreign Affairs office, counselor Mina Bassily; and the director of International Relations of the ABCC regional office in Cairo, Rania Hagrass.
Translated by Georgette Merkhan & Elúsio Brasileiro
