São Paulo – Tunisian authorities have expressed the country’s interest in exporting foodstuffs such as olive oil and dates to Brazil. The Foreign Trade vice president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rubens Hannun, and its Government Relations executive, Tamer Mansour, are in the North African nation to attend the 12th Medibat, a construction industry fair due to start next Wednesday (6th), in Sfax, and had a series of meetings with local authorities this Tuesday (5th) in Tunis, the capital.
One of the meetings attended by Hannun and Mansour took place at the headquarters of the Tunisian Union for Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts (Utica). There the two had three meetings, with the vice president, Samir Majoul, the International Relations director, Ali Nekhel, the coordinator for the Americas and Asia, Tarek Yakhlef, the chairman of the Agribusiness Association, Chiheb Slama, and the chairman of the Winemakers and Exporters Association, Mohamed Ben Cheikh. According to Hannun, one of the topics discussed at the Utica headquarters was the reactivation of the Brazil-Tunisia Business Council, which is represented by the Arab Brazilian Chamber in Brazil and by the Utica in Tunisia.
Hannun says the two organizations will work to single out sectors to be explored, but the Utica has already manifested interest in fostering exports of Tunisian products to Brazil, such as olive oils and dates, as well as auto parts, and encouraging the inflow of Brazilian tourists. The Arab Brazilian Chamber invited them to attend two fairs in São Paulo: Olive Experience and Expovinis, both due from April 24 to 26. The best-case scenario, Hannun explains, is for the Tunisian companies to exhibit at the fairs and have meetings with potential importers.
At the meeting attended by Hannun and Mansour at the Ministry of Commerce, with the general director for Commercial Cooperation, Saida Hachicha, she said the ministry is willing to hold an event to showcase Tunisian foodstuffs in Brazil, including tastings and other such actions, in the second half this year. The two also met with the chairman of the Tunis Commerce and Industry Chamber, Mounir Mouakhar, the Brazilian ambassador in Tunis, Luiz Antônio Fachini Gomes, and the director in charge of the Americas at the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Relations, Mohamed Mestiri.
According to the Arab Brazilian Chamber Foreign Trade vice president, during the meetings, the Tunisian authorities expressed an interest in Brazil’s federal social programs. Tunisia has undergone the Arab Spring and is now in a process of political, social and economic recovery. According to Hannun, the Tunisians say the change they are experiencing is similar to Brazil’s. In the 1980s, Brazil went through a political and social change as it transitioned from military dictatorship into a democracy.
Tunisia supplies products to Brazil, but sales consist mostly of fertilizers and inputs for their manufacturing, such as phosphates and superphosphates. Last year, Tunisia earned US$ 137 million in revenues from exports to Brazil. Brazil sells even higher volumes to Tunisia. In 2012, export revenues stood at US$ 351 million, consisting mainly of sugar, maize, soy, soy oil, coffee, wheat and meats.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
