Dubai – The minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, received Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) heads this Monday (11) for a meeting in Dubai. The organization’s president, Osmar Chohfi, and the secretary-general, Tamer Mansour, spoke about business opportunities between the countries and invited the minister to participate in the Brazil-Arab Countries Economic Forum, to be held in July next year in São Paulo when the entity will reach 70 years of foundation. Pictured above, Al Zeyoudi (left) and Chohfi (right).
“There is an immense potential for growth in trade between our countries,” said Al Zeyoudi. He stated Brazil is the leading trade partner of the UAE in South America, and he wants to boost the volume of trade between the regions.
The minister also said the UAE were working on free trade agreements with several countries, such as India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey. “Our market is much larger than the GCC and MENA regions,” he said, referring to Dubai as a global hub and gateway to the region due to its strategic location and easy access.
Chohfi stated Brazil still focuses its exports to the region mainly on commodities, and the ABCC is working with Brazilian companies to expand and diversify into other products, in addition to bringing small and medium-sized companies to this market. “We showed small and medium-sized companies how to internationalize and reach the Arab markets,” said the ambassador.
Tamer Mansour said that as a hub for the region and Brazil’s strategic partner, the UAE could benefit from buying Brazilian products such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, medical and hospital supplies.
Al Zeyoudi also spoke on the importance of the Brazilian private sector becoming aware and starting using the world logistics passport (WLP) to do business in the region.
The meeting was also attended by Rashed Al Teneji, director of the Ministry’s Trade Promotion department; Rafael Solimeo, head of the ABCC’s international office in Dubai; Fernanda Baltazar, Institutional Relations manager at the organization; and Shaheen Ali Shaheen, regional advisor for the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Iraq, and Yemen of the ABCC.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
