São Paulo – Arab companies undertook last week a mission to Brazil that provided them a better understanding of the Brazilian market, information on how to invest in the country, and a network of contacts. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), which held and organized the initiative, prepared a schedule of appointments as well as one-on-one B2B meetings according to the interests of each company. Eight companies from Arab countries joined.
“Our mission aimed to give the Arab businesspeople the opportunity to delve into the specifics of the Brazilian market. We held a series of appointments and networking events with public and private partners in Brazil. Resuming in-person activities brings new prospects for the trade relations between the two regions, particularly for those who’re breaking now into Brazil. It’s a first step on a last-longing, fruitful journey where the ABCC and its international offices will always be available for assistance. The next step is supporting companies in their strategic planning for expanding overseas. This is our job,” ABCC New Business director Daniella Leite said.
The companies that were part of the mission were Egypt’s freight forward firm Consolidation Marine Service (CMS); Daltex, which sells agricultural goods like oranges, garlic and potatoes; fertilizer producers Egyptian Financial & Industrial Co. (EFIC) and Suez Company for Fertilizers Production (SCFP); antique replica firm Antika; and trading platform Egyzone; as well as United Arab Emirates-based real estate company Modern Living and trading firm Pantanal Trading.
The group participated in the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries that took place on July 4 in São Paulo and was attended by 600 businesspeople, diplomats, scholars, and leaders of private companies from Brazil and the Arab countries, with some 3,000 viewers. Companies like EFIC, SCFP, Modern Living, and Pantanal Trading were some of the sponsors of the event that brought to the discussion key topics of the Brazil-Arab relations.
As part of the program of the Arab mission to Brazil, representatives of the companies made a technical visit to the São Paulo food supply center Ceagesp, where they got to know a food market and who is their competition for these products in Brazil. They also had a meeting at the firm KPMG, which allowed the group to increase their knowledge of Brazil’s political-economic landscape, agribusiness sector, regulatory and tax environment, as well as ESG practices in Brazilian companies.
The schedule included participating in a seminar in the ABCC on Brazil-Egypt relations, where the members had contacts with representatives of the government of Minas Gerais to learn more about the investment possibilities in the state and network with other attendees. The group was welcomed at the Port of Santos, too, where they saw firsthand the export and import process in Brazil.
The schedule also included a meeting at law firm Tocantins & Pacheco Advogados, where the Arabs learned more about the legal world in Brazil and its key laws regarding foreign investment. At the São Paulo Investment and Competitiveness Promotion Agency (InvestSP) the group had contact with investment opportunities and the support offered by agency.
The program included some cultural and social activities, too. They participated in the dinner celebrating the 70th anniversary of the ABCC after the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries, and a cocktail party at the booth the Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil (FAMBRAS) at the São Paulo International Book Biennial.
The companies that were part of the mission included some firms that were having their first contact with the Brazilian market to start doing business in the country and others that already export to Brazil and want to expand their presence, which is the case of fertilizer suppliers EFIC and SCFP, which are part of the same Egyptian business group. Appointments took place in the state of São Paulo.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
