Isaura Daniel*
isaura.daniel@anba.com.br
São Paulo – The growth in civil construction in the United Arab Emirates heated the local professional market for architects and engineers. Those two types of service providers are lacking in the Arab country, according to information received this week by the Brazilian mission from the construction sector that is now in the Emirates, during a visit to the headquarters of Dubai Properties, a real estate developer based in Dubai. The group of Brazilian businessmen was received by the general manager of the International Marketing Department at the company, Ali Tareq.
The secretary general at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, who accompanies the group, claimed that the Brazilian professionals have chances of working in this market, but he recalled that fluent English is needed. In the Emirates, the two most spoken languages are Arabic and English. The Arab country is making a series of investments in real estate, residential, and commercial enterprises, and also in infrastructure works, such as roads and airports, which have been attracting foreign construction companies and professionals to the region.
The Brazilian delegation arrived at the Emirates last weekend to get to know the large ongoing construction projects in the country. The mission, comprised of approximately 25 businessmen from real estate developers, real estate builders, financial agents, real estate agencies, and lawyers, was organised by the Brazilian branch of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI/Brasil) with support from the Arab Brazilian Chamber. On Wednesday (6th) the group received, in Dubai, information on the projects that Dubai Properties is carrying out.
The company belongs to the government of the emirate of Dubai and is part of Dubai Holding, which brings together 23 companies in various sectors. Dubai Properties develops real estate projects, manages them, invests in them, and also seeks investors for them. According to information supplied to ANBA last year by executives at company, real estate enterprises in Dubai are going to receive US$ 110 billion in investment over the next ten years. According to Alaby, members of the Brazilian mission became interested in representing the company in Brazil, and should advance conversations with Dubai Properties to that end.
One of the projects underway by the Dubai-based company is the Business Bay, a planned neighbourhood that will bring together office buildings, residential units, and commercial centres. The Bay will occupy an area of six square kilometres alongside two creeks, one of them artificial and the other one natural, and will receive investments of approximately US$ 20 billion. The basic structure of the enterprise should be ready by 2008. The company is already selling units in the neighbourhood on the international markets. Dubai Properties is also carrying out real estate enterprises such as the Jumeirah Beach Residence, The Villa, Culture Village, and Tijara Town.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum