São Paulo – The new scenario of relations between Brazil and the African countries and Morocco as a facilitator for businesses in sub-Saharan Africa are the themes that will be discussed in the seminar Assessing and Redefining Policies towards Africa in a New Global Scenario: Intersecting Perspectives between Brazil and Morocco. The event is set for July 17, from 9 am to 5:30 pm in the city of São Paulo. Admission is free and registrations are open.
The seminar is being organized by the Centre for Studies in Integration and Development (CINDES), a Rio de Janeiro-based think tanks, and by OCP Policy Center, a Moroccan research institute. The speakers will be representatives from the public and private sector of Brazil and Morocco.
“Brazil had a more active policy towards Africa, especially during the term of president Lula, with the opening of embassies in many countries and the exports of engineering services, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries,” said Pedro da Motta Veiga, Cindes’ director.
He explains that the end of this type of closer-ties policy, talks of closing embassies, and the extended crisis in which the engineering companies that operated in the Africa countries are facing, Brazil is reassessing its role in the continent. “The seminar will discuss the challenges from the African side and how Brazil positions itself within this scenario,” he says.
The executive believes that, in this scenario, Morocco comes in as an interesting partner to be considered. “It’s a country that strongly attracted the production of vehicles, textiles and aircraft. Morocco also is interested in Brazil’s agricultural production. It’s a country with a good potential to be considered as a partner to Brazil,” says Veiga.
For him, Morocco could represent a gateway to other markets in the continent, especially sub-Saharan Africa. “Morocco has a very active policy towards sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a very good partner for Brazil to be able to explore other countries in which it has a limited presence,” says the Cindes’ director, stating that Morocco prioritizes Africa when it comes to business.
Among the markets the Brazil could reach through a cooperation with Morocco are Ivory Coast, Guinea, Togo, Benin and Senegal. “They form a group of French-speaking countries where Morocco has an important presence in commerce and investments,” he concludes.
Economic relations
Michel Alaby, CEO of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, will be one of the speakers of the panel Morocco-Brazil Economic Relations: Current Situation and Intersecting Perspectives for Further Cooperation with Africa.
“I will talk about trade, the barriers in trade, the difficulties of negotiating the Mercosur-Morocco agreement. I will also talk about the Moroccan investments here and the work done by the Arab Chamber and what it can offer,” says the executive.
Alaby considers that the countries of the American continent and the countries in Africa are the mainstays of food production in the world, while Asia represents the large consumer of this production.
According to him, a partnership between Brazil and Morocco could represent a solid foundation in the supply of food to other nations.
The seminar’s organization has the support of the Brazilian Center for International Relations (Cebri) and the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).
Quick facts
Seminar: Assessing and Redefining Policies towards Africa in a New Global Scenario: Intersecting Perspectives between Brazil and Morocco
July 17, from 9 am to 5:30 pm
Where: Rua Surubim, 504, 9º andar – São Paulo – SP
Full program available at https://goo.gl/VmmGW1
Free registration at https://goo.gl/4AfsFr
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
