São Paulo – The Egyptian ambassador to Brasília, Wael Aboumagd, had several appointments this week to start talks with different sectors in São Paulo. “On the business side, the relationship between Brazil and Egypt is going well, but we can do better. On the people-to-people side, we need to work a lot to bring the culture and the arts. At the governmental level, there is a lot of potential, too. Brazil is the leader in this region, and Egypt is the leader in its region. And we should have a much more diverse and dynamic mutual relationship than we have right now. I’m always looking for potential, and I’m never quite satisfied. We always have to do better,” he said in an exclusive interview with ANBA.
The diplomat’s mission to São Paulo was carried out with the support of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and the Egyptian Commercial Office in São Paulo. The ambassador’s schedule of activities in the city extended from Monday (5) to this Thursday (8). The head of the Egyptian Commercial Bureau in São Paulo, Nashwa Bakr, and the ABCC team accompanied the ambassador to some of his appointments. The visit to the ABCC’s headquarters was part of the schedule.
For Aboumagd, one of the most productive meetings was with the governor of the state of São Paulo, João Doria. “For me, the relationship between Egypt and São Paulo is vital. I can only describe this meeting as excellent. He [the governor] offered many ideas, some about culture, some about tourism and business. These are suggestions that I want to start putting into practice as soon as I return to Brasília,” said the diplomat.
Also, with the public sector, the Egyptian met with executives from the Municipal International Relations Secretariat and São Paulo Tourism, the official tourism and events agency of São Paulo city. The central theme of the meeting was the nonstop flight between São Paulo and the Egyptian capital, Cairo, which is about to be launched.
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Still in the area of tourism, but this time talking to the private sector, the diplomat met with the Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies (ABAV). “It was imperative to talk to travel agencies because I believe they are the leaders; it is their domain. I asked them to describe the barriers they encounter and how the government can help them,” he recalled. One of the topics discussed at the meeting was the Brazil Travel Market show, which will occur in October. “I will strongly encourage Egyptian participation in the event,” said Aboumagd.
Opportunities in pharmaceuticals
Another critical sector for Egypt is pharmaceuticals. To address opportunities in the field, the diplomat met with representatives from Eurofarma, a multinational company in the pharmaceutical sector fully controlled by Brazilians. “Egypt has a very mature pharmaceutical industry, with large companies. The same happens in the research and development area, with the majority being private companies. There is potential there for a lot of cooperation. Of course, selling and buying are always possibilities, but I am talking about the potential to go beyond that. For joint ventures that make it possible for Eurofarma to enter this large market that Egypt is, also through free trade agreements with Arab and African countries,” concluded the ambassador, recalling that having a presence in Egypt could serve as a gateway to enter other markets.
Aboumagd also met with executives from BRF, one of the largest food companies in the world and an essential supplier of poultry and beef to Egypt. “We discussed all the aspects because, as an ambassador, it is my job to resolve issues when they arise. So, I listened to some concerns and pledged to report them to Cairo. BRF is a significant exporter of poultry and beef, and I am happy that we can continue this relationship,” he said. The diplomat should also have a meeting with JBS when he returns to Brasília.
At the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), the ambassador talked with Paulo Skaf, then president of the institution. “We held detailed discussions about the current state of trade relations between Egypt and businesses in the state of São Paulo. We also agreed to arrange a series of meetings between businesses and industry leaders from both sides soon. We emphasized the importance of expanding not only trade relations but also the need to focus on cooperation which adds value, such as joint ventures, mutual investment possibilities, and cooperation in research and development,” concluded the diplomat.
Also, in São Paulo, the ambassador spoke with executives from Wadi Al Zaytoon, an Egyptian brand exporting to Brazil, and from Vicunha, a company with a presence in several sectors, including the production of jeans. The diplomat’s agenda in São Paulo also included a visit to the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Mark and meetings with representatives of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation College (FGV) and the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil (FAMBRAS).
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
