Cairo – The governor of the Egyptian province of Ismailia, Major General Sherif Fahmy Bishara, invited Brazilians to invest in agro-industry in Egypt, especially given the incentives and support offered by the Egyptian government to local and foreign investors. Ismailia is one of the most important agricultural provinces in the Arab North African country and borders part of the Suez Canal.
This week, the governor received a delegation from the regional office of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in Cairo, headed by director Michael Gamal and the director of International and Governmental Relations, Rania Hagrass. The meeting included executives, businesspeople, and Ismailia Chamber of Commerce board members.
Bishara highlighted the importance of cooperation between Egyptian businesspeople and the ABCC to promote increased trade between Egypt and the largest Latin American market, Brazil.
He said Egypt has strong economic ties and trade agreements with Brazil, the main one being the free trade agreement with Mercosur, and recently, Egypt joined BRICS, a bloc of which Brazil is a member. According to him, there are promising opportunities to attract Brazilian investors to the Egyptian market and possibilities for developing commercial relations in general.
The governor pointed out the meeting brought a glimmer of hope to open new horizons and increase the commercial exchange with a large country the size of Brazil, in addition to presenting investors with the Brazilian market and its needs. The meeting also aimed to promote Egyptian products, mainly from Ismailia.
Bishara stated the province of Ismailia enjoys many advantages and incentives in agro-industry, with Brazil being a leading country in the field. He stated there are great opportunities for cooperation in this sector between businesspeople from both countries. The governor said the province will provide the tools and incentives needed for the success of these partnerships, in addition to providing land to implement projects.
Gamal said the ABCC’s role goes beyond fostering exports and imports, providing its members with information on investment opportunities in Arab countries or Brazil. He also said the ABCC’s regional office in Cairo recently received a delegation of Brazilian businesspeople specializing in the medical supplies sector, and meetings were held with the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), after which opportunities are being studied.
Gamal highlighted that the ABCC is working to increase cooperation and help exporters and importers from both sides, facilitating rapprochement through B2Bs, meetings, and participation in shows and trade missions. The ABCC was established over 70 years ago in Brazil and works to bring about economic, cultural, and tourist exchange between Arabs and Brazilians. Gamal said the entity played a leading role in developing relations between the Arab people and Brazil.
Akram El Shafei, president of the Ismailia Chamber of Commerce, said the province has several industrial and investment zones and, through cooperation with the ABCC, they could gain greater prominence and be promoted to investors and the Brazilian business community. He suggested greater coordination and cooperation in the investment area between the Ismailia Chamber and the ABCC’s office in Egypt.
Ali Ekrema, board member of the Ismailia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Egyptian Association of Mango Exporters, asked about the opportunities for agricultural products in the Brazilian market.
The regional director of the ABCC informed Egypt already exports some crops to the Brazilian market, mainly citrus fruits, garlic, onions, olives, and olive oil, with promising opportunities for other products, including pomegranates. He recalled, however, that exporting agricultural products requires registration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil to allow entry into the Brazilian market.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
