São Paulo – There are still two years for the start of the World Cup in Brazil, but there are already Brazilian companies eyeing the next edition of the event, the 2022 World Cup, to take place in Qatar, in the Middle East. Focussing on business opportunities that the Cup in the Arab country should generate, Brazilian companies have started installing themselves in Qatar to participate in tendering processes for works to be erected prior to the rolling of the ball.
"We are going to consolidate experience based on our World Cup and Qatar is going to demand this experience,” said Sidney Costa, the manager of the Business Centre at the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Apex already has an office in Doha, the capital of Qatar, with the support of national companies on their route to the Cup, to begin with the construction of stadiums, hotels and infrastructure works, like highways, underground and train lines, as well as a bridge, to connect Qatar to Bahrain.
In stadiums alone, investment should reach US$ 5 billion, with the construction of nine new arenas and the renovation of another three. For construction of the underground lines, investment should reach US$ 25 billion. In roads, including the construction of the bridge linking the two countries, the funds invested should reach US$ 20 billion. An estimated US$ 13 billion should go into the new airport and US$ 3 billion into a new sea port. The first new stadium for the Qatar World Cup should be ready in 2015.
To present these opportunities to Brazilians, the Apex organized on the 11th, in Brasília, a seminar with the presence of representatives of construction companies and also law firms interested in offering consultancy on legal matters for operation in Qatar. Among the speakers was the president of the Qatar Society of Engineers, Ahmad Al Jolo, a partner at Allen & Overy law firm, Anthony Traboulsi, the director of MEED Insight, a company specialized in information on the Middle East, Edward James, and Sidney Costa, from the Apex.
According to Costa, one of the main advantages shown at the event on building in Qatar is that the sector is not dominated by a great domestic company, and is also not formally engaged with companies of a certain nationality. "That makes the market open for whoever is competitive,” he pointed out. “Brazilian companies are competitive in more elaborate works and the region already knows about the expertise of Brazilian companies,” he explained. "Brazil is a reference to them in football. We are going to host a World Cup. In terms of prestige, to them, it is good to have Brazilian companies [participating in works]," he added.
Construction companies and law firms, however, are not the only companies to benefit from the 2022 event. When it is all erected, other sectors will gain prominence. "Doors are open to all,” said Costa. "At this moment, (demand) is more for building, but later there will be opportunities for the service area, including information technology and event management, management of tourism and production of video content,” he exemplified.
Another Apex point of support to Brazilian companies is in the area of financing. "Qatar National Bank, the country’s official bank, has already made itself available to support Brazilian companies in their needs in the financial area,” added Costa.
*Translated by Mark Ament
