São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce was honored this Thursday (31) by the Palestinian Authority (PA) for its support for the cause of the Palestinians people and for contributing for the construction of the new embassy of the Arab country in Brasília, which was opened on February 2. Mahmoud Abbas, PA’s president, awarded the Arab Chamber with the Palestine medal and a letter, both handed out by ambassador Ibrahim Alzeben to Rubens Hannun, vice-president of Foreign Trade, and to Osmar Chohfi, vice-president of Foreign Relations. “It’s a medal in recognition by president Mahmoud Abbas to the Arab Chamber for the role that the organization plays in regards to the Palestinian cause and its contribution helping to open the conference room in the new embassy in Brasília”, said Alzeben.
“It’s an appreciation for the commitment and for the Arab Chamber being the stage for the Arab relations with Brazil, to expand trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries [Brazil and Palestine]”, said the ambassador. In addition to Alzeben, Hannun and Chohfi, the manager of Government Relations of the Arab Chamber, Tamer Mansour, attended the meeting at the organization’s headquarters in the city of São Paulo.
Hannun said that the tribute “is an honor” to the Arab Chamber. “We receive with emotion and thank the initiative by president Mahmoud Abbas, whom I had the opportunity to meet when the cornerstone of the new embassy of Palestine was laid, and ambassador Alzeben. It’s a satisfaction to be alongside Palestine throughout its path in Brazil”, he said.
Chohfi mentioned that it’s the responsibility of the Arab Chamber to work to promote closer ties between Brazil and the Arab countries. “It’s a satisfaction to receive this recognition by the Palestinian Authority, since it’s the task of the Arab Chamber to strengthen economic, commercial and diplomatic relations with Arabs”, he said, reminding that it was also a “satisfaction” for the Arab Chamber to be able to help in the opening of the embassy’s conference room.
Visit
In Thursday’s meeting, Alzeben and directors of the Arab Chamber discussed a visit to Palestine in September so that, according to Alzeben, the ties between the two countries can grow even stronger. In addition, in this visit, agreements between the Arab Chamber and local organizations should be celebrated.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
