São Paulo – Mauritania is looking to have Brazilian companies operate in its territory. The information was supplied by Abdellahi Kebd, the Arab country’s ambassador in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. He travelled to São Paulo this week to speak with executives and present the advantages and opportunities his country has to offer to foreign enterprises. Kebd took office in the federal capital in June this year.
“In our economic capital, Nouadhibou, there is a free-trade zone that is rather important for companies. There is also the advantage of geographical placement. Mauritania has an 800 kilometre Atlantic Ocean coastline, enabling enterprises to use it as a platform from which to branch out into North and West Africa,” the diplomat said in an interview to ANBA, during a visit to the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce this Friday (12th).
The Nouadhibou Free-Trade Zone was established in January 2013. Located a 470 kilometres north of Nouakchott, the capital, the city of Nouadhibou is one kilometre away from the Moroccan border.
Kebd also stressed that the mining industry in his country is well developed, including extraction of gold and other ores, and that this is one of the sectors Mauritania is interested in having Brazilian companies operate in.
“We wish to attract companies into mining, agriculture, foodstuffs, the processing industry, veterinary and human pharmaceuticals and footwear,” the ambassador said. The diplomat also said his country is interested in Brazilian fishery companies, since local fish production is strong.
The ambassador’s schedule in São Paulo included meetings with meats, dairy, cement and veterinary vaccine companies, among others. The meetings were arranged by the Arab Chamber. Kebd said the meetings were important so he could disclose information pertaining to trade in his country.
“I offered them [the companies] assistance in exporting to Mauritania, but we are interested in actually seeing them in Mauritania, investing and entering into partnerships with Mauritanians,” he asserted.
“We have tried to show them how doing so may be in their interest. And they are rather interested in visiting, in having business trips to witness all of the things I spoke of. I hope this will bring results,” he said. According to the diplomat, there are plans of holding a trip of Brazilian executives to Mauritania as early as February 2015.
Kebd also discussed the good political scenario in his country. “With our current president (Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz), re-elected a few months ago, we have a good political situation, we have stability and are considered by the European Union and the United States as the best country in our region when it comes to counterterrorist measures. Politically speaking, the country is very safe and enjoys much credibility among international organizations,” he said.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
