Isaura Daniel*
São Paulo – Exports from Brazil to the countries in the League of Arab States grew 23% in the first four months of this year when compared to the same period last year. In April, sales grew 5% when compared to the same month in 2005. "Although April this year had two working days less than it did last year, exports grew," stated the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Antonio Sarkis Júnior.
Export revenues between January and April totalled US$ 1.6 billion. Sales in April brought revenues of US$ 389.5 million. The president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber recalls that if the daily average is considered, exports from Brazil to the Arabs grew more than 5% in April. The daily average for April 2005 was US$ 18.6 million, and this year the daily average is US$ 21.6 million. The growth was 16.1%.
The percentage of growth registered from January to April, in reality, is above the target stipulated by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce for the year: 20%. According to the secretary general of the organization, Michel Alaby, the tendency is for the increase of exports to remain between 20% and 25%, which has already been identified in the accumulated result for the first four months of the year.
April exports were pushed by greater Saudi purchases. Saudi Arabia was the main Brazilian client in the region in April, having spent US$ 112.3 million on Brazilian products in April, 43% more than in the same month in 2005. Saudi Arabia is currently receiving aircraft made by Brazilian company Embraer. The second largest buyer in the month was Egypt, with US$ 63.5 million and growth of 11.7%. The third largest partner was Morocco, whose sales grew 19.6% to US$ 50.2 million.
In percentage terms, the Arab nations that grew most in terms of purchases from Brazil were Iraq, Sudan and Somalia. The value for comparison in Iraq, however, is small, as in April 2005 the country bought just US$ 85,000. In April this year, purchases grew to US$ 2 million. Imports from Sudan grew 373% to US$ 2.7 million. Somalia imported US$ 12.1 million, with growth of 275% in purchases. Somalia imports large volumes of sugar from Brazil.
Alaby recalls that Somalia and Sudan have recently discovered oil and this has powered the growth of Brazilian exports. Other countries, like the Comoros, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Syria also purchased more from Brazil in the month of April. "Syria is living a good moment, with the country economy and foreign investment growing," explained the secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
Brazilian imports of Arab products grew 51.8% in the month of April this year as against April last year, reaching US$ 419.3 million. In the first four months of the year, the increase in purchases was 42.8%, with US$ 1.6 billion. The value is the same as Brazilian exports to the region, leaving the trade balance between Brazil and the Arab countries levelled.
*Translated by Mark Ament
