São Paulo – A re-exportation center to Asia, Europe, Africa and Middle East, Dubai wants to promote business with Brazilian companies, either with purchases or sales among companies from both sides or by having Brazilian companies establish themselves in its territory. This was the subject of the seminar Business with Dubai, which took place this Monday (8th) in the city of São Paulo. Promoted by Dubai Exports, the export promotion agency of the Emirate, and by the consulate general of the United Arab Emirates in São Paulo, the event gathered several businessmen and executives at the headquarters of the Trade Federation of São Paulo State (Fecomércio-SP).
“We announced our new office, which opened in São Paulo two months ago. This is the first activity we did through our office. Our goal is to help companies in Brazil to come and find companies in the United Arab Emirates. We are also helping our companies to come to this region and export their products. We are seeking buyers and also Brazilian companies interested in establishing themselves in Dubai”, said Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, deputy CEO of Dubai Exports.
Besides Kamali, the event had the participations of Ahraf Ali Mahate, Dubai Exports’ director of Export Markets Intelligence; Saleh Ahmed Alsuwaidi, consul general of the UAE in São Paulo; Dener Souza, manager of Emirates SkyCargo for South America; Khalid Al Janahi, general advisor of the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC); Raveen Guliani, business director of DP World; Franco Bosoni, director of the Dubai Multi Commodities Center; and Michel Alaby, CEO of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
Mahata gave a general outlook of Dubai and the UAE as a re-export center and showed the facilities offered to companies operating there. “The export cost of a container from the UAE stands at US$ 655”, he pointed out, comparing it with the average cost in the countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which goes over US$ 1,000.
He pointed out the variety of activities available in Dubai. “We have 24 clusters in Dubai for all kinds of activities”, he said. Among the sectors listed are technology, media, logistics and transportation.
In an interview to ANBA, Kamali said that the office opening in São Paulo is part of a expanding plan of Dubai Exports, which also have offices operating in Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Germany.
Another point of interest of Dubai in the country is the creation of a center for halal certification operating under global parameters. Halal certification guarantees that a certain item was produced according to Islamic traditions. “We want to set up a halal certification center in Brazil that would operate under international criteria”, said Janahi, from DIEDC. According to him, 57 countries in the world already go by the international parameters of the halal certification.
“Brazil is an important [supplier] market to us in halal beef and poultry production. This [opening of a center] is in line with the government’s new vision, which is to convert Dubai into a halal trade hub”, completed Kamali.
To Alsuwaidi, the interest of Dubai Exports in the country, together with the opening of the consulate general in the city of São Paulo in 2013, show the importance given by the UAE to business with Brazil.
“We consider Brazil a big and strategic partner, especially in the economic and trade fields. The decision of the United Arab Emirates in opening a consulate here reflects how important São Paulo and Brazil are to our country. These offices are very important to build bridges between the countries”, emphasized the diplomat.
The Dubai Exports delegation’s schedule continues on Tuesday (9th) with events at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp).
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
