São Paulo – The minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade of Brazil, Miguel Jorge, should be at the offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce on Monday (22), in São Paulo, to participate in a preparatory seminar for the trade mission from Brazil to Egypt, Lebanon and Iran, to take place from the 11th to the 17th of April, 2010.
This is the first time that the Arab Brazilian Chamber promotes a seminar prior to a trade mission. The objective of the meeting is to show the potential business with the Arab world and the specific manners of negotiation with the countries in the region. There should be space for questions and answers with the intention of clarifying the doubts of businessmen.
The opening of the seminar should be in the hands of Arab Brazilian Chamber president Salim Schahin. Then, minister Miguel Jorge should give a brief address about the trade missions that his ministry has been promoting in recent years, pointing out their importance for Brazilian foreign trade. The minister should also disclose the number of participants in the missions and exports generated.
In 2009, exports from Brazil to Egypt, one of the countries to be visited, grew 2.51%, from the US$ 1.41 billion of 2008 to US$ 1.45 billion last year. The main Brazilian products shipped to Egypt were ores, waste and ashes (by-products of the ore), meats, sugar, aircraft and inorganic chemical products.
Exports to Lebanon, in turn, registered growth of 13.43% – rising from US$ 273.85 million in 2008 to US$ 310.64 million in 2009. Meats, live animals, coffee, mate tea and spices, cast iron, steel and mineral fuels were the products most exported to the Lebanese.
The ambassador of Egypt to Brazil, Ahmed Hassan Ibrahim Darwish, and a representative of the Lebanese embassy to Brazil, among other authorities, should participate in the opening of the seminar. The first talk – The Political and Economic Context – should be by secretary Carlos Leopoldo Gonçalves de Oliveira, of the Middle East II Division, of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry. Then is the turn of Rodrigo Iglesias, of the Commercial Intelligence Department at the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), who should present an analysis of the sectors contemplated by the mission to the three countries.
Regarding Egypt and Lebanon, in the area of business culture, Michel Alaby, the secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, should be the speaker. Regarding Iran, the presentation should be in the hands of the president of the Brazil-Iran Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Farrokh Faradji Chadan. Finishing off, minister José Mauro Couto, a special advisor to minister Miguel Jorge, should talk about the practical aspects of the mission, including logistics and others.
The delegation
The mission should include 80 businessmen and take place from April 11th to 17th. The trip, to be led by minister Miguel Jorge, is organized by the Development Ministry with the support of the Brazilian Foreign Office, Apex, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iran.
In this mission, the sectors of food and beverages (meats, fruit and juices), housing and construction, non-ferrous metals, ceramic products and stone works, machinery and equipment (ironworks and metallurgy products, medical and hospital equipment, equipment for mineral exploration, building and agriculture), vehicles (including auto parts and buses), infrastructure and the aeronautics sector.
Opportunities
The Foreign Trade Department has prepared a study about business opportunities in two countries that should be visited in the mission: Egypt and Lebanon. According to the study, the economy of Egypt has been diversifying and growth should be above the global average over the next three years. Tourism is among the most important sectors for the country, which receives around 10 million tourists a year.
The building sector is also very important for the country, which has several projects in progress. Still according to the study, there are perspectives for growth of foreign investment in Egypt after the reduction due to the 2009 crisis. The country has been seeking foreign investment through simplification of tax laws. Among the sectors promoted are fashion and agriculture. “Brazil is prominent in the Egyptian market as a supplier of sugar and meats. There are further opportunities in sectors like food,” said the manager of the Market Development sector at the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Rodrigo Solano.
With regard to Lebanon, the study shows that the estimate for economic growth is 5.8% for 2010 and 5.5% for 2011, due to regional growth which has increased investment and travel expenses. The country has great tourist potential with resorts, historic sites at temples and ruins, as well as markets and typical restaurants.
Lebanon has two free zones. The sectors of tourism, industry, information technology and communications are among the most promising for investment. "Among the most important products are vehicles and machinery, and there are opportunities in the food, fashion and medical-hospital sectors," said Rodrigo.
*Translated by Mark Ament
