Dubai – The government of the United Arab Emirates plans to organize a delegation to Brazil this year. This information was disclosed by the Trade Promotion director at the country’s Ministry of Trade, Mohammed Nasser Hamdan Al Zaabi, who visited the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) stand at the Gulfood, a food sector fair in Duabi, last week. The idea is for the trade delegation to be led by the minister of Trade, Lubna Al Qasimi.
On the agenda of the trip, companies and sectors to be included in the group are yet to be defined, but, according to the director, one of the proposals is to promote a forum to present business opportunities in both countries. “Many people do not yet know what Brazil has to offer,” said Zaabi.
One of the objectives of the mission is to attract more Brazilian companies to the Emirates. “We want Brazilian companies to eye the opportunities [offered by the Emirates], to set up offices here as a base for the region,” said the director.
He mentioned attractions to the country’s infrastructure, the low cost of energy, free zones and the proximity with other markets in the Middle East and Africa, and added that Brazilian companies that are already present in the Emirates “are doing good business”.
Among the most promising sectors, Zaabi mentioned beef, chicken, dairy and industrial enterprises in general. “We want to be an industrial ‘hub’. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are working for that,” he pointed out.
The director added that food safety is another theme that is dear to the country and that food trade is a strong activity, as is tourism. Another area in which the Emirates plan to develop more is Islamic finance. “Some 70% of our GDP is not connected to oil, but to services, industry and other sectors,” he said.
*Translated by Mark Ament
