São Paulo – The president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, aims to implement the Brazilian experience in social programmes in his country. Morsi’s idea is to make the population consume more and, thus, boost the local economy, as was the case in Brazil. On Thursday (9), he participated in the Brazil-Egypt Business Council meeting at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp) and stated that Brazil is an example of a nation that defeated a military regime and prospers in democracy.
“Egypt is returning to strategic relations with countries that lived similar [transition] situations and that had success in the political and social fields. Brazil is an example in the process,” said the president.
At the meeting with Fiesp president Paulo Skaf, Morsi showed interest in learning the details of the professional courses offered by the Social Service for Industry (Sesi) and by the National Service of Industrial Education (Senai), training professionals to operate in industry. He wishes to promote in Egypt the professionalization and training of labour.
On Wednesday (8), in Brasília, the government of Egypt signed agreements with the Brazilian government in the area if agrarian development, with the objective of promoting exchange of experience, technology and personal training. Morsi also saw, at the Itamaraty, a presentation on the social programmes of Brazil.
During his visit to São Paulo, the Egyptian leader also met with representatives of large companies, among them executives of Brasil Foods (BRF), JBS, Marcopolo, in the bus sector, which has a factory in Egypt, with the executive vice president for People, Institutional Affairs and Sustainability at Embraer, Jackson Schneider, and with the president of Coteminas, Josué Gomes da Silva. On Wednesday, in Brasília, Morsi discussed cooperation in aviation and defence with president Dilma Rousseff.
Morsi heard the proposals of business leaders and stated that he desires to see these companies investing in Egypt, and not just exporting. He also said that he plans to develop the sectors of ironworks, ceramics, food, transportation and construction.
“Our similarities may expand relations between both countries. We want an aircraft industry in Egypt. We have infrastructure, but need know how. In the bus and textile sectors we want industry and we want to export from Egypt,” said Morsi, recalling that the country has partnerships with economic bloc and is in a strategic situation. Suez Canal, the main means of connection for vessels travelling from the Mediterranean to Asia, cuts Egypt.
Business
The president of Egypt and Fiesp negotiated the promotion of a Brazilian delegation to the Arab country in early September. The proposal, according to Morsi, is for the delegation to be small in terms of people, but to be effective, to close deals. The CEO at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, said he will work in partnership with the Fiesp to promote the delegation.
Apart from Alaby, in the meeting with Morsi, the Arab Brazilian Chamber was also represented by Marcelo Sallum, the International Relations vice president, Helmi Nasr, the chairman of the Board of Directors, Walid Yazigi, and former president Salim Taufic Schain.
Sallum pointed out that this is the first visit of an Egyptian president to Brazil and added that his visit here is an opportunity to expand relations between both countries. “It is necessary to make use of this moment of open doors between both countries, as there are friendly ties,” he said.
He added that the roundtables between Brazilian and Egyptian businessmen, promoted at the Arab Brazilian Chamber on Wednesday (8), resulted in business between businessmen from both nations which, together, have 275 million inhabitants.
Brazil was the last of the Brics countries (which also includes Russia, India, China and South Africa) visited by Morsi. In 2012, Brazil exported US$ 2.7 billion to Egypt and imported US$ 251.4 million. Morsi and Skaf stated that it is necessary to level the trade balance between both countries. The same was said by president Dilma Rousseff when her Egyptian colleague visited Brasília.
Lula
In the Brazilian capital, Morsi also met with former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula invited the Egyptian to participate in the “Unified new focus to end hunger in Africa Forum”, to take place in Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, on June 30th and July 1st. The event is organized by the African Union and by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the support of Lula Institute, the former Brazilian president’s organisation.
Lula also said that he plans to visit Egypt in November this year. The former vice president visited the Arab country in his first term in office, in 2003.
*Translated by Mark Ament
