São Paulo – A group of Kuwaiti parliament members expressed interest in enhancing government and trade ties between their country and Brazil at meetings with the Brazilian vice president Michel Temer (affiliated with party PMDB) and congressmen last Tuesday (29th) in Brasília. The group comprising Kuwaiti MPs told Temer about opportunities for Brazilian businessmen in their country, according to the press office of the Brazilian vice presidency.
“Brazil-Kuwait ties are growing stronger, and relations between the Parliaments are crucial to enhancing government relations,” said Temer, according to a report on the website of the vice-presidency. The vice-leader of the Brazilian Executive branch also talked about the Brazilian interest in attracting investments from Kuwait. He emphasized the opportunities for foreigners in the Logistics Investment Program. The project calls for investments of R$ 198.4 billion (US$ 50.19 billion) in highways, railways, ports and airports.
The delegation thanked Brazil for condemning the terrorist attack that took place in Kuwait in June and the government’s championing of a UN Security Council reform. “We are very happy to get to know Brazil. We have trade relations and want to reinforce them more and more”, said the delegation’s president, MP Askar Al Enizi.
On the website of the Kuwait News Agency (Kuna), a news report on the visit called the group a Parliamentary Friendship Committee. In a phone conversation with Kuna, Enizi praised Brazil for supporting Kuwait’s international causes. According to the agency, the delegation also discussed parliamentary agreements with the Brazilian Senate and with the Brazilian House of Representatives’ Foreign Relations and National Defense Commission. With the Senate, it discussed the creation of a special parliamentary committee in Brazil tasked with Kuwaiti affairs.
In the House of Representatives, the delegation met with representatives Átila Lins (PSD/AM), Leonardo Quintão (PMDB/MG) and the president of the Foreign Relations and National Defense Commission, Jô Moraes (PC do B/MG). According to information from the Commission’s press office, topics such as trade, sports and environment were discussed. Moraes pointed out the importance of education in Kuwait. Kuwait has 3.7 million and a 93.9% literacy rate.
The group was joined by the ambassador of Kuwait in Brazil, Ayadah Alsaidi. According to Kuna, the MPs visiting the country are Mohammad Al-Huwaila, Madhi Al-Hajri, Mohammad Al-Barrak and Fares Al-Otaibi, in addition to the delegation’s president.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
