São Paulo – At least nine Brazilian companies intend to join the 60th Damascus International Fair, at a stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Brazil in the Syrian capital. The multi-sector fair will take place from September 5 to 15.
The companies are 3iii, for food and cosmetics; Agilise and Vitta Gold, for cosmetics; Construtora Cury, for construction; Braseco, a trading company dealing in wood and facing; Fadico, for electric materials; halal certifiers Brazilian Islamic Federation and Siil Halal; and Ramax, for food. Some of them are sending representatives to the fair; others will send promotional material.
“The fair is open to the general public. It is not intended for businesspersons only, but the local importers always attend,” said Arab Chamber CEO Michel Alaby, who will represent the organization at the event.
The Damascus Fair was held again last year after a five-year hiatus prompted by the conflict in the country. The Arab Chamber and the Embassy had already organized a Brazilian stand in 2017.
“We are doubling the number of companies compared with last year,” said Alaby. Four Brazilian companies were represented in the 2017 Damascus Fair (the event’s opening is pictured at the top of this story).
From January to July, USD 31 million worth of goods were exported from Brazil to Syria, down 29.4% from a year ago, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services. The near entirety of sales consisted of sugar and coffee.
“We should have participated more actively in this process [of resuming business with Syria], but it’s never too late,” Alaby argued.
Conversely, imports to Brazil from Syria reached USD 619,000 through July, down 29% from a year ago, with sales comprising mostly aniseed and spices.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
