São Paulo – A business mission from Tunisia, an Arab country in North Africa, will arrive in Brazil next Sunday willing to increase economic relations between the two countries even further. The main reason for the trip, according to the honorary consul of Tunisia to São Paulo and Marketing vice president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rubens Hannun, is the meeting of the Brazil-Tunisia Business Council. The meeting will be the group’s first activity in São Paulo, and will take place at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters on Monday (2nd).
The council was established approximately eight years ago and is helping establish a broader business environment between the two countries. “Now there is greater coordination, affinity, information exchange, and a better business environment,” says Hannun. As an example, he cites a Brazilian mission that went to North Africa, with very good results, and ascribes part of it to the fact that the terrain had been prepared in advance. The Brazilians, says Hannun, are negotiating with the Tunisians armed with greater knowledge, and the same applies to Tunisians with regard to Brazil.
During next week’s visit to Brazil, the council’s agenda should include topics such as standardization of rules for product manufacturing. The Arab Brazilian Chamber is going to place the group in touch with the Institute of Metrology, Industrial Normalization and Quality (Inmetro) and propose for the two countries to start standardizing their products to make trade easier. The Chamber should also present the potential of the Brazilian consumer market to Tunisians. According to Hannun, consumption of olive oil and dates in Brazil is on the rise, and Tunisians are strong producers of these items.
The idea is to show the group the Brazilian economic scenario as well, including the rising lower middle class consumption, and existing opportunities in the country as a consequence of its hosting the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympics. Other matters will include tourism and the need for greater promotion of Tunisia as a destination in Brazil. During the business roundtables, scheduled to take place at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters on Monday afternoon, the food industry should be among the most promising. Hannun believes that there will be good business opportunities, because the delegation comprises prominent figures in Tunisian economy.
The delegation will include Mohamed Sahraoui, chairman of the Brazil-Tunisia Business Council, vice president of the Tunisian Union for Industry, Commerce and the Handicrafts (Utica) and senator; Ali Slama, vice president of the Utica, representative, chairman and director general of the Slama group, which operates in foreign trade and foodstuffs; Abdellatif Hammam, chairman and director general of the Export Promotion Centre (Cepex); Sofien Meddeb, of the Groupement Interprofessionnel de Fruits; and Tarek Yakhlef, Utica’s International Relations director.
In addition to the Business Council meeting and the business roundtables, the group’s schedule includes meetings with Brazilian sectorial organizations. On Wednesday (4th), the delegation will have activities in Rio de Janeiro, including meetings at the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) and other organizations. They will return to Tunisia on Thursday.
The Brazil-Tunisia Business Council is headed by the Arab Brazilian Chamber, on the Brazilian side, and by the Utica, on the Tunisian side. Enrolment for the business roundtables in São Paulo is free of charge and can be made with the Marketing Department of the Chamber.
Service
Brazil-Tunisia Business Roundtables
Marketing Department of the Arab Brazilian Chamber
Telephone: (+55 11) 3147-4071
E-mail: marketing@ccab.org.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
