São Paulo – Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should be in Qatar, an Arab country in the Gulf, on the 14th and 15th of this month, as part of the international trip also scheduled to include Russia and Iran. Lula should retribute the visit to Brazil by the Emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, in January this year, when agreements were signed between large companies in both countries.
Lula’s trip, his second to the Middle East this year, should have strong emphasis in economic relations, as the president should be accompanied by a trade delegation and there should be a business and investment seminar and workshop about tourist destinations in Brazil and Argentina.
The seminar, organized by the Itamaraty, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Business and Trade of Qatar and the Association of Qatari Businessmen, should bring together representatives of companies in both countries. It should be divided into five themes: infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, investment and tourism.
According to the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Brazilian exports to Qatar generated US$ 34 million in the first half of this year, expansion of 61% over the same period in 2009. The main items shipped were iron ore, chicken, electric transformers and beef. Although it is a small country, Qatar has a growing economy and income is among the highest in the world.
In the area of tourism, Embratur and the National Institute for Tourist Promotion of Argentina (Inprotur) are going to give a presentation to professionals in Qatar. The idea is to make use of the inauguration, in June, of the Qatar Airways flight from Doha to São Paulo and Buenos Aires, to promote the two main destinations in South America. In the case of Brazil, according to the Embratur, the highlights should be Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Foz do Iguaçu, the Amazon and Bahia.
Agreements
The memoranda of understanding announced during the visit of the emir to Brazil were signed by Qatar Holding, the executive branch of the sovereign fund of the Arab country, mining company Vale, Previ, the pension fund of Bank of Brazil employees, and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). The objectives were to prospect investment opportunities in Brazil and abroad in partnership.
According to the ambassador of Brazil to Doha, Ânuar Nahes, the agreements are in progress. Since January, according to him, representatives of the Bank of Brazil and BNDES have been visiting Qatar to discuss the matter.
Nahes added that, during Lula’s visit, cooperation agreements between both governments in the area of tourism and culture should be signed, as should agreements between the official news agencies of both countries (Agência Brasil and Qatar News Agency). A memorandum of understanding between the Library and Centre of South American and Arab Research (Bibliaspa) and the National Library of Qatar should also be inked. Other agreements may be signed by private institutions.
In the political area, Lula should talk to the emir about the conflicts of the Middle East and the Brazilian intention of having greater participation in peace talks. The Brazilian president has already been to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan this year, where he discussed the matter with local authorities, and, after visiting Qatar, he should travel to Iran.
As a temporary member of the UN Security Council and wishing for a permanent seat, Brazil defends the expansion of the number of participants in the Middle Eastern peace talks, especially developing nations, and dialogue between all parties directly or indirectly involved n the conflicts.
In the specific case of Iran, Brazilian diplomacy defends greater dialogue regarding the country’s nuclear program, as against the placing of immediate new sanctions by the Security Council.
In Nahes’ evaluation, the Qatari point of view in this matter is not much different from the Brazilian.
*Translated by Mark Ament
