São Paulo – Representatives of Invest Minas, the investment and foreign trade promotion agency of Brazil’s southeastern state of Minas Gerais, met on Wednesday (8) with Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) President William Adib Dib Jr. and Treasurer Mohamad Abdouni Neto at the ABCC’s headquarters in São Paulo. The meeting focused on cooperation and ways to attract investment for companies in the state.
Attending the meeting on behalf of Invest Minas were Investment Attraction Director Elvis Gaia, Investment Promotion Manager Breno Sardenberg, and Strategic Advisor Igor Vilela. Representing the ABCC were Institutional Relations Advisor Bassel Abou Latif and Market Intelligence Manager Marcus Vinicius, who presented data on trade between Minas Gerais and Arab countries. According to Vinicius, trade is concentrated in a limited number of products, leaving room to expand and diversify the trade basket.
In 2025, Minas Gerais exported USD 3.09 billion worth of goods to Arab countries, down 10.6% from 2024. Imports totaled USD 446.7 million, up 51.4% over the same period. The state’s main exports to Arab countries were iron ore, sugar, iron pipes and tubes, and coffee. Its main imports were nitrogen fertilizers, sulfur, mixed fertilizers, and phosphate fertilizers.
Dib presented the ABCC’s initiatives, including the Brazil & Arab Countries Economic Forum, which will be held on August 25 in São Paulo, and said the institution could support Invest Minas in future projects involving the Arab world. Abdouni invited Invest Minas to take part in the event, which promotes mutual opportunities for knowledge exchange and future investment.
Invest Minas is expected to organize a visit to the United Arab Emirates in September this year. Its representatives spoke about Arab investments already present in the state and expressed their intention to attract investment from Arab sovereign wealth funds to companies in Minas Gerais.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
