São Paulo – The Sudanese minister of Industry, Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, was in the Brazilian capital Brasília this Monday (20th) for a series of meetings, including one with the International Relations secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Célio Porto. Al-Jaz discussed his country’s interest in attracting Brazilian investment into its sugar and ethanol industry, according to information supplied by the ministry.
As announced by ANBA last week, Sudan wants to attract Brazilian partners into seven projects that it intends to implement in the sector.
The minister, who was accompanied by a delegation of approximately 20 government and private sector representatives, stated that the Sudanese are interested in learning from the Brazilian experience in the field. He underscored that the African country’s first ethanol manufacturing plant was assembled with machinery and equipment by Brazilian company Dedini.
The meeting was also attended by the Sugarcane and Ethanol director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Cid Caldas, and a representative of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa).
Also in Brasília, the minister met with the executive secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Ivan Ramalho; representatives of the Foreign Trade unit of the National Confederation of Industries (CNI), of the Central Bank and of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
On Tuesday (21st), Al-Jaz should be in the city of São Paulo, where he should attend meetings at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp) and at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, which will organize a meeting with Brazilian Machinery and Equipment Industry Association (Abimaq) affiliates.
According to the Sudanese ambassador in Brasília, Abd Elkarim, Brazilian enterprises possess vast agricultural experience and make "excellent" machinery and equipment, hence the interest in finding partners in Brazil, be it as suppliers, builders or investors.
The minister also has scheduled visits to Piracicaba and Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, where he should visit plants and an agricultural development centre. On Friday, Al-Jaz should meet with representatives of the Odebrecht construction group and of the Sugarcane Industry Association (Unica).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
