São Paulo – The Jordanian minister of Industry and Trade, Amer Al-Hadidi, said early this Monday evening (19th), after meeting with the board of directors of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo, that he is going to talk to the Brazilian minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Miguel Jorge, about the progress of negotiations for a free trade agreement between his country and the Mercosur. The two should meet in the Brazilian capital, Brasília, on Tuesday.
“We need to conclude the agreement while Brazil is still holding the presidency,” said Hadidi. Brazil will remain in the South American bloc’s rotating presidency in the second half this year, and it will be president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s last term as head of the Mercosur, because his own term in office ends on January 1st, 2011. The Jordanian minister believes that the treaty may be signed before that date, and wants his Brazilian counterpart to help.
At the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Hadidi and the Jordanian minister of Agriculture, Said Al-Masri, were welcomed by the organization’s president, Salim Taufic Schahin, vice presidents Helmi Nasr (Foreign Relations), Rubens Hannun (Marketing) and Wladimir Freua (Foreign Trade), administrative director Nahid Chicani and director Bechara Ibrahim.
Earlier today, Hadidi visited Brazilian aircraft manufacturing company Embraer’s plant in São José dos Campos, in the interior of the state of São Paulo. The Brazilian aircraft industry is interested in establishing a warehouse of replacement parts in the Middle East, and the Jordanian government wants it to be located in the country. The minister stated that he discussed “future cooperation” with company representatives, and that a new meeting should be scheduled soon.
Alongside Masri, he also met with representatives of the National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters. The ministers invited members of the association to visit Jordan and have a look at the business opportunities.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
