São Paulo – The ambassador of Sudan to Brasília, Abd Elghani Elnaim Awad Elkarim, said on Thursday (16), while visiting the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo, that he hopes for further business to be made by Brazilian companies in his country. “We hope that companies go to Sudan to produce soy, maize, tomatoes, fish, etc,” said the diplomat. “We are in talks with mining companies too,” he added.
Based on some successful experiences of Brazilian companies, like Pinesso group, which is operating in agriculture in Sudan, and industrial equipment producer Dedini, which supplied the equipment for the first ethanol mill in the African country, Sudan aims to attract further business. “We are calling Brazilian companies to benefit from the special place we offer,” said Elkarim.
He added that, after the separation of the country into North and South, in July, Sudan has “managed to absorb the consequences” and “is getting ready to improve its resources”. “This includes the sectors of oil, mining, agriculture, livestock farming and others. Many investors in Asia and in the Arab world are travelling to the country,” he pointed out. “We are launching the second Sudanese republic,” he said.
With Brazil, the ambassador added that there are talks in the areas of water resources and sanitation and also in the More Food Africa program, launched last month by the Brazilian Ministry of Agrarian Development in an attempt to provide technical assistance to African producers and assist in the export of agricultural implements from Brazil to the continent.
Elkarim stated that the Arab Brazilian Chamber may help in the promotion of business between both countries granting support to events, workshops and delegations. “We still have an information gap [between both countries] that must be reduced,” he said. “Not all the Sudanese, for example, know of the growth that Brazil has had in the areas of ethanol and biodiesel. They know about things like the Amazon and sport, which is also important, but it is necessary to show that the country has further capacity, that it is an emerging nation,” he pointed out.
The ambassador, who participated in a meeting with Brazilian businessmen about investment in Africa, organized by Lula institute, the foundation of former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said that Sudan recently suppressed the need for visas for Brazilians who have diplomatic and official passports and for those on official delegations.
*Translated by Mark Ament
